Under Control
by Chiisai-tori
Summary: STORY COMPLETE! Sango is in deep trouble, and Miroku will do anything to help her - but will it be enough? And what's with Kohaku? REVIEW!
1. 1 Sighting

A/N: *creepy voice* I'm baaaaack! Well, I wasn't gone that long, but you know what I mean! For all my loyal fans in Internet-land, I hope you like this one too. Well, on with the show!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha (as if you didn't know already).

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 1: Sighting

"Are we there yet?" Silence.

"Now?" A sigh.

"Are we there – "

"NO!!" The kitsune fled from the sudden outburst, seeking comfort in the arms of his protector. 

"Kagome, Inuyasha's being mean again!" he whined. "Why don't you 'sit' him or something?"

"Shippo…" Her warning tone made him pause in his complaints. "You _were_ pushing him, you know." She waited expectantly.

"Ah," he gulped. "Maybe?"

"That's what I thought." Kagome glanced up at the stiff-backed hanyou, feeling slightly sorry for him. After all, he had been unusually patient with the somewhat (well, _very_) annoying cub lately. She sighed, fondly ruffling Shippo's silky hair with her fingers. "If I give you some candy, will you promise to leave him alone?" Behind her, someone cleared their throat hesitantly. "Er, Kagome-sama, I don't think bribing him with candy is really wise," Miroku cautioned her. "Remember what happened a few days ago?" Kagome smiled sheepishly. Shippo had gotten into her pack while nobody was looking – and he hadn't come down from his sugar high for hours! Poor Inuyasha had just about gone insane…a hyper Shippo-chan was a truly fearsome sight.

"I won't give him too much, Miroku, just enough to calm him down. Okay?" Her soft blue eyes pleaded with him…and he'd never been able to resist a pleading woman. "I can't stop you, I suppose," he mumbled, trying without success to hide the slight blush on his cheeks. 'Now if only Sango would look at me like that?…' He sneaked a quick look at the demon exterminator who was striding along behind the group. 'Don't be silly, she would _never_ do that,' his thoughts taunted him. He looked away quickly before Sango realized she was being watched. He had been slapped quite enough times today…

A slurping sound interrupted his reverie. Annoyed, he looked down at the kitsune settled comfortably in Kagome's hold. He was currently gnawing happily on his promised candy, looking for all the world like a puppy with a toy. Sensing that he was under scrutiny from all sides, Shippo looked up from his treat. His eyes shone with mischief. "Kagome?"

"Hmmm?"

"Are we there yet?"

"AARRGH!!" Startled, they looked up. Inuyasha had stopped, his hands clenched tightly into fists. "Will _someone_ get that brat to shut the hell up already?!"

"Inuyasha…sit." Crunch.

"Oi, wench, what was that for?" With some considerable effort, the enraged hanyou began to raise himself up off the ground. Kagome stepped quickly past him before the subduing spell wore off completely. "He's only a baby, don't get so mad! He's just tired, we all are," she added, wearily brushing a hand across her eyes. "We all want to get to this village, you know." His eyes narrowed. 'She's tired? Why didn't she just say so?' He took in her slightly pale face, her stooped figure, her drooping eyes. Kicking himself for not noticing sooner, he tried to make amends by crouching down in front of her, indicating that she should climb onto his back. She smiled at him gratefully, then settled in for the ride, Shippo cuddling into her lap. "Thank you," she whispered. Absently she reached forward to caress the hanyou's ears before pillowing her head on his shoulder to try and sleep. 

Miroku raised one hand to suppress a grin at the half-annoyed, half-pleased expression that graced Inuyasha's face. He turned to see what Sango had made of the little scene, then stopped. Judging by the far-off look in her eyes, Sango hadn't taken in anything that had happened. Her head was bowed slightly, and her eyes were vacant, staring at something only she could see. Concerned, he sidled over to her, carefully laying a hand on her shoulder. He frowned when she didn't react to his touch. "Sango?"

* * *

Sango trudged along, barely taking any notice of her surroundings. As had happened all too often in recent days, her thoughts had wandered back to her family. She wished with all her heart that her father had never accepted the job of working for that lord, that she had somehow prevented Kohaku from coming on the hunt, that she had killed that bastard nobleman's son when she'd had the chance. 

All very much impossible now.

She had wanted to die after the others had found her. Sango doubted that any of them really knew this, not even Kagome-chan…but for weeks, all she had been able to see was Kohaku's face as he'd attacked her, wounding her so badly that she should have died – his blank, remorseless expression cutting her more deeply than a mere sword ever could. It had gotten worse since she had discovered that he was under the despicable control of Naraku himself. She would do anything to rescue him from that horrible situation. Anything.

Naraku had an awful lot to answer for. Much more than just her family…

Inuyasha, for example. That terrible mess with Kikyou – each believing the other hated them. He could cry 'hanyou' until he was blue in the face, they all knew he was hurting unbelievably inside. The hate that Kikyou's heart held for him only made him try all the harder to convince her that she was wrong…causing him to run off after the undead miko constantly. Naraku couldn't have planned this any better himself, because Inuyasha was thereby ruining his second chance at happiness. Kagome.

Or there was the houshi…that perverted playboy. No more frustrating person existed on the planet, she was sure. Friendly, yet distant – open yet secretive at times – occasionally unbearably superior in his attitude, but always willing to help…yes, incredibly frustrating. And confusing. She supposed it could have been an effect of his having the hole in his hand. That would give anyone a skewed outlook on life, when you thought about it. He lived under an imminent death sentence every day of his life…it was a wonder he hadn't gone nuts, really. But he more than made up with it with his, ahem, _leisure actvities._ He could call it 'enjoying life's pleasures to the full' – she called it 'playing with fire'. One of these days he would get burned by one of his many loves, a past liason coming back to haunt him (perhaps in the form of that son he said he wanted so badly?)…and she would laugh in his face.

She really wished she didn't love him quite so much as she did….

She wished he wasn't so easy to forgive, time and time again…

She wished he would grow up!

The presence of a warm hand on her shoulder shook her out of her mental stupor. Jumping a little, she twisted her head to see who it was. 'Oh, you're kidding me…'

"Back off, houshi-sama! I'm _really_ not in the mood today!" That was all she needed; him groping her and just making her even more angry than she was already. No, thank you. She had enough to think about. Glaring at him from under her bangs, she held his gaze fiercely until he had the sense to back down. "No offense, Sango, none at all, really." He shuffled off again, looking absurdly scared of her. She nodded in satisfaction. Exactly as it should be! Let him run off to one of his village girls, find comfort in her arms, he'd get none from her! Even though…

He _had_ asked her to bear his child. But he hadn't said he would be faithful until then…making the promise practically worthless in her eyes. She wanted a husband who was true, not a – damned lecher!

This most unsatisfactory train of thought ended when she noticed that they were finally in sight of the village they had been heading for all day. There were no rumours of shards near here, so they could rest up a bit, take some time to relax. Something they hadn't done in - how long?…She didn't really want to think about how long it had been.

* * *

It was gradually growing dark as the bedraggled group of travelers made their way toward the village inn. That stupid, immature houshi was babbling on about how he was terribly afraid that there was a dark presence hovering over the building…Inuyasha and Kagome (now awake and walking) just shared exasperated looks at the houshi's tricks. What a con artist.

In the twilight she almost missed it. As was her habit in a new town, she was taking careful peeks into the sidestreets, making sure that those innocent looking shadows weren't actually marauding youkai. There were a substantial number of people still abroad at this hour, forcing her to duck and weave through the crowd. It was just after she'd navigated her way around a particularly obstinate group of people that she saw something which stole her breath away.

A small figure, one that looked awfully familiar… "Kohaku?"

He was just standing there, that blank look pasted on his face like a mask. He held a glittering sword in his hand, and his chain-blade was slung around his back, ready for use. For an instant, his eyes met hers, and he staggered slightly, holding his head. 'What's wrong with him? Why is he here, of all places?' Ignoring the curious looks of her companions, she took a step towards her lost brother. Abruptly he spun, racing away from the spot where he had been standing. Before she had the wits to chase after him, he was gone. Not a trace.

She could have screamed. She wanted to beat the ground with her fists, go fight some youkai, do _something_ – anything but just stand there. 'When he grabbed his head like that, it looked like he was in pain…' She remembered how Kohaku had disobeyed orders once, refusing to kill Kagome-chan. From what the girl had told them, that had pained him as well. Maybe he was resisting a direct order once again? For a practically lifeless corpse, he had an admirable amount of willpower, to turn down Naraku like that. She smiled for a moment.

'No brother of mine would do anything less.'

The smile faded when she recalled that her brother was beyond her reach…again. Her head down, she made her way over to her baffled friends, waving off their concerned questions. She didn't want to talk right now, couldn't they see that? She wanted to think…

She had seen Kohaku. The question was, what was she going to do about it? What _could _she do about it? It irked her somewhat, but she wasn't at liberty to just race off after him. She had friends who depended on her to help them fight shard-bearing youkai…they needed her to be there. 

Wait a minute….that was the key. Shikon shards. Kohaku had a shikon shard…

Her mouth twisted into a cunning grin. That was it. There was her out…and the others didn't need to know. No reason why they should find out what she was planning.

She had said she would do 'anything'. And she meant it.

* * *

Miroku had been shocked to hear Kagome exclaim that a shard was in this village. Dammit, they'd come here for some peace and quiet, not more fighting! Then maybe Sango would loosen up a little…and he wouldn't go off in a huff to find more 'willing' female company. Ahh, he was getting distracted again. Bringing himself back to the present, he glanced around to make sure that the demon exterminator hadn't gotten herself lost on her routine 'check' of their stopover. Seeing her close by, he had turned away again – only to spin around defensively when she had let out that loud gasp. He saw it just after she did.

'Impossible…absolutely impossible,' he thought. Kohaku, here? But why?

As the boy sped away, the houshi was half-afraid that Sango would run after him, ready to hold her back if she tried it. Considering who was running that boy's life now, following him would not be an altogether smart idea. To his relief, the girl stayed where she was, just looking. He was about to go to her, to comfort her if need be, when a feral-looking smile appeared on her face.

He shivered…he didn't like the look of that smile. He wished he knew what she was planning.

'All I know is – I'm not letting her out of my sight until we have left this ill-omened place. Kohaku or no Kohaku, it's too dangerous for….ooh, she's lovely. I wonder…?' The delinquent houshi's thoughts had wandered again. Too many distractions in one place…

But he _was_ going to be watchful around his dear Sango. No mistake about it. He was – "Ah, excuse me, fair lady, you seem to be walking alone this evening?" Curse himself for a weakling, no self-control at all! Ah, well, Sango hadn't seemed to notice. Er, yet.

"Miroku! How could you?"

"Bouzu…"

Sometimes he really had to remind himself that having observant friends was a good thing….

* * *

"Was he seen?"

"Yes, my lord. The young woman…"

A low chuckle. "And how is she taking it?"

"Not all that well, my lord. In fact, she seems rather upset."

"Ah, excellent." Almost to himself, the man in the shadows whispered, "Then let the fun begin."

* * *

Well, how was that for an intro??? Things are about to get very, very sticky….

Next Chapter: Misplaced Warrior


	2. 2 Misplaced Warrior

*Author is sitting in front of her laptop, mouth open in shock* Whaaaat? 14 reviews already? Ooooh…

And I know there are more of you out there – can't wait to hear from you, too! Without further ado, some reviewer responses. (As it's the first chapter, I'll do all 14 – in future chappies, if you want a mention, write something substantial that I can respond to! Otherwise, it'll just be a general 'thank you'.)

Sailorpsychosis: My first reviewer! *throws a party* er, yeah. And I'm actually writing this without the aid of the blessed spellchecker – for some insane reason, this computer doesn't want to help me…Hope you keep reading!

Jessica T: Woohoo! My alpha reviewer! So glad you could make it…enjoy!

Mvdiva: Yep, a scaaary Shippo. Should I write a 'sugar high' scene, just for laughs???? Maybe.

Hieisbabygirl08: Thanks, I will!

Murasaki Kitsune: Thanks, will do – I look forward to my chapters as well! (How sad is that?!)

Vampire-Elf: Yes, not enough S/M by far! This is to help even the score.

Mattielover: Hello! I'm glad you like this one….

Neoen: I hate OOC – so I don't write it…if I can help it! : )

LilyKitsune: Yes, I've often wished that I could read Miroku's thoughts – and now I get to write them! Yay! Ooh, I'm evil….

The Plutonian Cow: Thanks, and yes, I did want to know *****grins*.

Aurora chan: Slow-building tension = one _heck_ of a finale! Keep reading!

Kyosnekogirl: Er, Sango's thoughts _are_ a bit rough on our dear houshi right now…I promise, I'll explain why…although, would you not be ticked off at a cheating boyfriend??? Hn???

PasoLover: Ooh, thank you! I don't wait long between updates, usually. A week is the maximum wait.

Akikaze no Uta: *holds the award* I just wanna thank my mum, my 5th grade teacher, my English lecturer, Rumiko Takahashi….er, right. I read your bio – and I'm truly honoured. Really. Yes, it IS hard – I've been trying to find fics to 'compare notes' with (that is, to check that I'm not accidentally copying someone's plot! O.O) and it's well nigh impossible! Grrrr. Have you read my other fics? I'd be interested to know what you think of them….please?

A/N: If you happen to review now before I've finished typing this chapter, your shout out will be at the end…sorry. Got to keep the story flowing…inspiration lasts only so long! So, here we go!

Disclaimer: I can see why people get sick of writing these – I don't own Inuyasha…still.

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 2: Misplaced Warrior

"Shippo…sit down!" Wham.

"Oops – sorry about that…Eeek! It – it was an accident, I swear! Hey, don't you give me that look…" Inuyasha had propped his head on one hand, glaring balefully at the young miko. He was drumming the clawed fingers of his other hand on the wooden floor, beating a steady, staccato rhythm. Click, click. Click, click.

Kagome was nervous, her original purpose in saying the 'word' temporarily forgotten.

Shippo was completely out of it.

"Whee!" he squealed, bouncing around between the members of their little group. At one point Miroku got a mouthful of fur when Shippo crashed into him before merrily racing off again. Coughing softly, he raised an eyebrow at Kagome. "Okay, okay, I get it. I gave him a little too much – "

"CANDY!" The kitsune's delighted shriek had everyone grabbing for their unprotected ears. Inuyasha snarled in momentary pain, then made a frantic grab for the hyper youkai cub. Shippo made a dash for Kagome's pack, where he just _knew_ she had more treats hidden away for him.

"Candy, candy, candy, candy…" His shrill voice died down to a constant murmur when he had located a decent-sized sweet to devour. He still kept muttering "Candy," to himself at times, but a baby youkai always _but always_ had a horrendously strong sweet-tooth. His friends had been finding that out the hard way. The sweet now gone, he zoomed off again.

Inuyasha had had quite enough of this. Freed from the subduing spell, he leapt up off of the floor and started chasing Shippo in earnest. For a little while the two of them simply circled the room, the kitsune's speed and energy being significantly enhanced by his sugar boost. But all good things have to come to an end.

"C'mere, you little – GOTCHA!" the hanyou yelled triumphantly, clutching his prize tightly in his hands. The struggling bundle found himself dumped unceremoniously in Kagome's lap, his fun now severely hampered by her hands holding him down. "Awww, Kagome, lemme goooo…"

"No. It's time for bed, little one. You _are_ going to settle down now, do you hear me? Stay still!" She carried him over to her sleeping bag, holding his ear to make sure he wouldn't escape again. She knelt down and placed him in the bedding, making sure he was warm enough. "Please, Shippo?"

Shippo, despite himself, had to admit that the sugar was wearing off. Bed sounded good… "Okay. G'night." Sighing contentedly, he snuggled deeper into the covers, purring softly as he dropped off to sleep. 

"_Finally_, he's quiet!" Inuyasha growled, rubbing his ears gingerly. "That brat has a voice that could crack stone…" He became silent as the owner of their accommodations entered the room without warning. Were they going to get in trouble for all the noise? More than likely – especially as the humans were traveling with a hanyou, he thought. He waited for the complaints to begin.

"Is there a problem?" the owner asked hesitantly. His eyes darted conspicuously around the room, taking in the details – bowls of food spilled on the floor, bedding crumpled up against the wall where someone had landed on it, scratches in the woodwork (rather like claw-marks)…ordinarily by now these rowdy guests would be looking for another place to stay. His gaze landed on the houshi. A faint smile danced across Miroku's handsome features – a reminder to his gracious host that holy ofuda were, after all, easily removed…

Swallowing in sudden apprehension, their host decided to overlook the wreckage. Well, it was only one night, and it just wasn't worth losing a holy man's favour over…

"No problem here!" Kagome said hurriedly, "None at all! It's just…er…" She gulped, finally assessing the extent of the mess they had made. 

"I was wondering if you would be kind enough to show me your village shrine," Miroku broke in smoothly. He started at a nervous giggle; the owner's daughter had come to see what was going on. His smile automatically widened. "Perhaps, if you are too busy, your fair daughter might…?" The owner caught on immediately.

"Of course, of course, honourable houshi-sama, my daughter will show you to the shrine! Certainly." He backed out of the room, still bowing. Miroku scoffed silently at the ridiculous behaviour of his host, then sighed. The things he went through to protect his friends…the girl wasn't even pretty! He slowly climbed to his feet, not daring to look in Sango's direction. He walked over to the simpering female, still keeping his eyes carefully averted. The others were just staring at him accusingly – couldn't they tell the difference between flirting and pretending? He took a closer look…yes, this was _definitely_ a case of pretending. He extended a courteous arm towards the door. "Ladies first…"

As the footsteps faded, Inuyasha and Kagome turned to face each other in mutual exasperation. "I don't believe it! Right in front of Sango, too…" Kagome's voice trailed off uncertainly as she looked around. There was no sign of the demon exterminator anywhere.

"Where's Sango?"

* * *

At that moment, Sango was creeping stealthily along the now deserted streets of the tiny village, keeping to the darkest shadows. However, her mind was not really on the job. She kept thinking back over that evening's events. 'If only Shippo hadn't found that extra candy…' Why did every host they stayed with have a conveniently unmarried daughter? He just couldn't stay away from them. She had stayed in the room just long enough to hear him ask to see the shrine (how transparent was that little maneuver?!) and had slipped away through the window without anyone noticing. Enough was enough…it was high time she put that perverted houshi out of her head.

He had been the only thing really preventing her from leaving for quite some time now – the desire to find and save her brother was growing too strong to push away. But she had stayed, given him numerous chances, overlooked his delinquent behaviour, and hoped that he would settle down, given time. After all, she'd virtually _promised_ herself to him!

Tears pricked her eyes painfully. 'And tonight he's up to his old tricks.' After the day she'd had, it was one time too many…

Murmurs of conversation caught her attention. Moving closer to the sound, she could make out two shadowy figures walking in the bright moonlight. One shape was unmistakable – she would know it anywhere. One arm was casually draped over the girl's shoulders, giving her no choice but to lean into him. He was busy being charming, laughing quietly at something his companion had said. His head was bent ever so slightly towards hers, and she was beaming up at him, clearly entranced.

Sango clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. 'The nerve of that…that houshi!' Then she forced herself to relax. 'Just when I thought I couldn't be hurt any more than I am already…he goes and does _this_. Again.' Her eyes hardened, her decision made. 'I have more important things to do.' She wasn't worried about Kagome and Inuyasha – they were smart enough, they'd figure it out…well, Kagome would anyway. Without giving the oblivious 'couple' any more thought, she swiftly made her way down the road. She had just one thing on her mind now.

Find Kohaku.

* * *

Shippo was getting annoyed – all that shouting had woken him up! How very rude. He turned over to try and regain his lost dream when he recognized his mother's voice in the uproar. "Kagome?" He poked his head out of the covers, cautiously taking a look around. He blinked. Inuyasha and Kagome were standing nose to nose, yelling as loudly as they could in each other's faces! He glanced around to try and find a voice of reason (namely, Sango) to fix this loud mess, but couldn't find her. 'Oh well, maybe she'll 'sit' him,' Shippo mused. 'That's always fun to watch.' He settled in for the show.

"What do you mean, it's _my _fault she left?!" Kagome demanded. "What were you doing all that time, huh?"

"I –" er, what _had_ he been doing? 'Gaping at the stupid bouzu…'

"You're the one with the all-knowing nose! Didn't you smell when she left?"

"I can't be expected to see everything! She's _your_ friend, you should have kept an eye on her!" His thoughts were a little different to what he was saying. 'You're the leader here, moron – you let your guard down! You should never, ever get complacent around these humans…idiot.' One of the reasons he was yelling so much was…he was horribly embarrassed. How had she gotten out without him hearing her? 

"_My_ friend, Inuyasha?" Kagome looked sad all of a sudden. 'Doesn't he count Sango as his friend too?'

He noticed her filling eyes. 'Oh, please no…' "You're not going to cry, are you?" She didn't seem to hear the concerned tone in his voice. It didn't help that she was distraught over her best friend's disappearance. "Ooh, you – SIT!!" He slammed face-first into the floor, muttering words that would have set her ears on fire if she could have heard them. "I'll cry when I want to, you inconsiderate, selfish, annoying dog-boy –" Her tirade cut off suddenly. A noise in the corner had startled her.

Shippo tried to hide. Had he actually cheered aloud when she 'sat' him? Oops, bad tactical error. Dog –breath would turn him into a pincushion…unless Kagome could stop him in time. He struggled a little longer to find a safe space – and then the topic of the yelling match sank in. He stuck his head back out of the sleeping bag, heedless of the danger. "Why is Sango gone? Why are you so mad about it?" Before he knew it, he had been plucked from his spot by a clawed hand. Hanging around in mid-air was not his favourite position in the world. 'Maybe I shouldn't have had all those sweets,' he thought queasily.

Inuyasha ignored the green tinge on the little kitsune's face, holding him up to his own face in a rather intimidating pose. "Did you see her leave?" he growled ominously. "Did you see her and not say anything, you little –"

"Inuyasha! Control yourself!" Kagome snapped. Shippo cheered - mentally this time. Hooray for protectors….

"What? I'm not doing anything bad…but if he saw her go, he should have said something!" the hanyou yelled defensively.

"He was asleep, idiot. Like he would have seen anything!" Kagome scoffed. Shippo decided it was time to speak up for himself.

"I promise, guys, I didn't see a thing! Honest!" He reiterated his statement in the face of the vicious glare Inuyasha sent his way. "Like she said, I was asleep!" Puzzled, he looked around once more. "Where's Miroku?" Hmm, it looked like that was a touchy subject.

"He's…entertaining a friend in the village," Kagome began. Inuyasha finished for her.

"The hentai thought he could have some fun with one of his new admirers." Shippo couldn't really say he was surprised. After all, it _was_ Miroku they were talking about here. But still… "Eww." 'Hang on a second…' "Oh, so that's why Sango left. He's off flirting again."

Kagome grimaced in assent. "Yeah, probably."

"Stupid houshi."

Inuyasha was growing impatient with the conversation. Besides, he could just tell that soon they would be talking about how he hadn't heard Sango leave…one embarrassment today was enough. "Well," he said roughly, "sitting here blabbing isn't going to find her any quicker! We'll have to go out into the village and look around." Without waiting for a reply he strode out of the door. Embarrassment averted.

Sharing knowing looks, the other two followed. Maybe Miroku had seen something?

* * *

The houshi was not having fun. Hopefully soon he could politely foist the girl off onto someone else and head back to where the group was staying…he was getting a crick in his neck from turning his head downwards all the time. And the girl would _not_ be quiet. He was only half-listening to her pointless, inane chattering when a very familiar shout reached his ears.

"Oi, bouzu! Get your hide over here – NOW!" A summons from Inuyasha…perfect. But what on earth did he sound so aggravated for? And why were they all outside anyway? He gently tried to slip his arm off of the girl, but she seemed a bit dense and grabbed his hand when she felt it moving. She simply refused to let go. Sighing in defeat, he dragged her over to where a visibly irritated hanyou stood waiting with his arms crossed. Kagome was in a similar pose, one foot tapping on the ground. For the life of him he couldn't figure out why they were glaring at him that way. Well, he _was_ out with a girl who regrettably wasn't Sango, but it had been necessary, dammit! Did they want to be thrown out of the first comfortable place they had found in days? "Has something happened, Inuyasha?"

Kagome asked him quickly, "Have you seen anyone out here, Miroku?" Inuyasha seemed a bit put out that Kagome had stolen his thunder. He was the one in charge, right?

"Ditch the female, bouzu. Sango's gone missing." Miroku felt the blood drain from his face. Sango, missing? Why?…He glanced down at the wide-eyed woman under his arm. There was his answer. He quickly disentangled the woman from his hold and unceremoniously bid her farewell, propelling her away with a none too gentle push. She stumbled slightly, turning her head to glare at the young man – but he paid her no further attention. Tossing her head angrily, she stalked off.

"What do you mean, she's gone missing?" Kagome winced at his tone. He was practically begging them to say that it was a simple misunderstanding, or a joke, that it wasn't true. "When did this happen?" To his confusion, Inuyasha looked slightly abashed. "Some time after you left with that wench, we think."

Miroku couldn't believe his ears. "You THINK?! You mean you don't know?" They shook their heads at him. "How could you let this happen?" He waved an arm around in his distress, stopping when the rosary around his right hand rattled noisily. Bringing it down to eye level, he eyed the wrapping on his hand miserably. The reason he had continually pushed Sango away, even when it half killed him to do it. The reason he acted like a fool around all women, to try and forget what he was doing to the one he loved. The reason he was such a jerk. His heart sank even further. Had he gone too far?

"It was me, wasn't it?" His voice was low and sad. "I made her leave. Don't deny it." He wished he could curl up into a little ball right there on the ground. Shippo looked over at him curiously – he had never heard such a depressed tone from the usually calm and confident houshi. He was about to say something when a slight movement off to the side caught his eye. He twisted himself up around Kagome's shoulder to get a better look, and gasped. "Sango! Hey, Kagome, she's on the ground! She looks asleep…uh oh."

"What?" Miroku rushed over to them, searching the night for what had grabbed Shippo's attention. "Kohaku! And…Naraku." The man in the baboon skin reached a hand out towards the unconscious woman. The houshi snapped.

"Sango! NO!!" Naraku did something they couldn't see, and the trio disappeared in a swirl of miasma. Coughing from the noxious fumes, the travelers recovered and raced over to where their friend had lain. Nothing.

Miroku fell to his knees, his eyes horribly haunted. "How did this happen?"

* * *

Kohaku had watched as his target had drawn nearer to his hiding place. His orders had been quite clear.

__

Lure the human woman into an alley and make sure she can't retaliate. She will follow you – all you have to do is show yourself to her for an instant. After that, wait for me. Make sure she doesn't get away.

At least his orders hadn't been to kill the woman. Make no mistake; he would have done it…orders are orders. But that didn't mean he liked it. And besides, up close she seemed familiar. Like this afternoon when he had first spotted her – his head had started to ache. As though something were trying to push its way out of the back of his head. What was that all about?

The ache had begun again as soon as she came into view. Something about her face… He put it out of his mind. Stepping into the light, he had let her see him and then retreated into the cover of darkness. His master really did know everything, he mused – she had followed him immediately. She had said something to him…ah, he'd forgotten what she said now. Memories were like that; very elusive and weak. It didn't matter what she said, anyway. The end result had been the same. One quick blow to the head and she was out cold. The stupid woman hadn't even had her guard up – you could almost say she had deserved what she got.

For some reason that didn't sound right to him. But it was all he had to go on.

His master had appeared shortly after the woman had fallen to his attack. There had been one point in the proceedings when Kohaku had thought that they might have some opposition. The ones who had accompanied the target into the village had gathered near the end of the alley, looking very much as though they might come towards them to retrieve their partner. One in particular, a young man in houshi robes, had darted forwards as though he had been shoved, naked fear on his face. His face was also familiar…although he had no idea why that would be.

His master had simply laughed and whisked them away, leaving the target's companions completely in the dark. Kohaku had been able to sense his powerful amusement when the houshi had come running at them. What had he said? 'Think, boy. What did he say? Oh, yes.' "What perfect timing." He didn't understand what that was for. Oh well. His job was to do what he was told, not to question his master.

Soon they would be home, and he could go to sleep. No memories to keep him awake. His memories never seemed to last long…. Absently he wondered whether he would remember the target the next day. Somehow he doubted it. After all, he didn't remember anything of his other missions once they were done. 

Life was much simpler that way. But there was something about the target's face…

* * *

Poor Miroku….life is not kind to the poor fellow. Keep reading, don't miss a minute of the torture! And don't forget to REVIEW…chapters come quicker that way. Until next time….

Next Chapter: High Stakes

****


	3. 3 High Stakes

Chapter 3 is here! But first, some responses…

Serendy4evr: I'm so glad you found it! I was a little worried that people wouldn't see it…Updates come pretty regularly, as I now have a university-free life (long story).

Neoen: Ahh! You're back!! *hugs* Yes, I loved the 'crazy Shippo' bit too…that was lots of fun to write! As for Naraku, well, you'll see. Ku ku ku… (For some angst that really leaves an impact, try my other fic 'Choice and Consequence'. People seemed to like that one…)

Sailorpsychosis: I'm glad you think the characters are good, it's kind of difficult sometimes! Especially if you've never seen the show, like me. I really am deprived….

Mattielover: Mm-hmm…. suspense rules! Woohoo!

PasoLover: Back again! I won't make you wait long between chapters, I promise!

Aamalie: I hope you had fun on your camping trip! Yes, I often find myself reading fics for crazy lengths of time too…

A/N: *Dances happily* No more university! I'm freeee! *Looks at the shocked reviewers* er, yeah. I'm sane, really! But you should be happy about this because I now have more time to devote to writing fics! While I'm at it, any requests for challenge fics, or whatever? A pairing you really want to see? C'mon, give me a hint! Or maybe I'll just surprise you…

Disclaimer: Get a clue! I don't own Inuyasha…so get off my back! Feh.

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 3: High Stakes

Although he hated to admit it, Inuyasha was getting tired. Once Miroku had snapped out of his daze, he had literally become a blur of action, racing back to the inn and grabbing his things. When the others had caught up to him, he had thrown their stuff at them and told them to 'get moving'. His one and only goal was to rescue Sango, and nothing as trivial as food or sleep was going to get in his way. The pace he set was incredible.

And now even the hanyou had started to feel the effects of it. Goodness only knew how Kagome and Shippo were coping. Half the time Kagome rode on his back, carrying the kitsune in her arms. Foolishly, in his opinion, she refused to stay on for their whole trip, saying that she didn't want to be too much of a bother.

Very privately, he thought that carrying her like that wasn't a bother at all. After all, the close contact was warm, and comforting, and…. He gave himself a little shake. Thoughts like that weren't going to help at all. He looked over at the houshi. His eyes looked almost wild, a frantic desperation etched into his countenance. Inuyasha doubted that he really 'saw' his companions at all. Judging by his expression, all he could see was the image of Sango's still form lying in the darkened alley. She had looked almost…dead.

And then Naraku had taken her. He growled in frustration. 'What does he want with her anyway?' Distracted, he didn't notice his claws gripping Kagome's leg a little harder than usual. She winced at the feel of sharp objects pricking her skin. "Inuyasha?" Startled, he twisted his head around to look at the human on his back. She was looking at him in concern. "Did you want me to walk for a while?" He bristled.

"Of course not! What do you think I am, some weak little human? I could carry you for days!" She nodded slowly. 'Good, she's going to let it go…' Her voice interrupted his relieved thoughts.

"Then what's the matter? You seem angry about something." 'But then, you're _always_ angry about _something_,' she reminded herself wryly. She was surprised when he lowered his eyes from hers, looking away as though he were….shy?

"I just…wish I knew what was going on," he muttered. He mentally smacked himself on the head; even admitting that much had been difficult! 'Too much time spent around humans…'

"Is THAT all?" a high voice asked incredulously. "You looked like you were ready to kill something!" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at the speaker, who promptly gulped and attempted to hide. "Shippo…I suggest you keep quiet."

"But Kagome –"

"Quiet."

The little kitsune pouted. All he had done was say that Inuyasha had looked mad! What was the big deal anyway? He huffed in annoyance, then snuggled in closer against Kagome's stomach. All this traveling was exhausting…

He fell asleep.

Oblivious to the touching little scene behind him, Miroku continued his headlong rush in the direction that he hoped would lead him to Sango. His mind would not let him forget what he had seen…

__

Naraku standing over Sango's motionless body…

He wasn't exactly sure how, but he knew that a large part of this was his own fault. He had known that Sango would be angry about his latest flirtations, but he had expected a few slaps, or a hit on the head from Hiraikotsu. 

He hadn't expected her to leave without saying a word. 'You really did push her too far this time,' he berated himself furiously. 'Stupid hentai, you could have let it slide, but nooo, you had to go and invite his daughter along! Idiot!' And he hadn't even really wanted to go…but he had gone, and now Sango was missing, possibly dead –

He wouldn't allow himself to think like that. She had to be alive. There was no point in going on if she wasn't. Ignoring his screaming muscles, he pushed himself to even greater speed. The real problem here was that they didn't know where Naraku had gone. All they had was Inuyasha's sense of smell, and rumours from the villages they passed. Needless to say, the last two days had been fraught with anxiety, what with this odd little search party not knowing where they were going.

But while Sango's image still floated before his eyes, he would keep going until his last ounce of strength left him. He had failed her this time; he was determined not to fail again. 

* * *

Naraku couldn't be more pleased with the way things were going. If he had ever had a superior, they most probably would have been most displeased with what he was planning. After all, this little scheme had little or no impact on the hunt for shikon shards, or with having his revenge on Kikyou and Inuyasha. Many youkai would consider this a huge waste of time.

But the opportunity to have a little fun with these pitiful humans was too good to pass up.

For over fifty years the key pleasure that Naraku had experienced in his life was the twisting of human emotions. People were so easily manipulated, and once their hearts were crushed it was embarrassingly simple to destroy them completely. This case would be no different from the others. His aim involved the boy and his sister. It had been pure chance that the houshi had shown up. All the better.

"They will never recover from this," he congratulated himself. The boy, Kohaku, was too mindless to appreciate the irony of the situation – but that could be fixed. As for the girl…she would know every detail. The only way for this to work would be if she went into this with both eyes open. It would crush her just that little bit more. And the houshi would get both sides of the deal, both the brother and the sister. Naraku laughed. "As if having the hole in his hand wasn't enough!" It was perfect.

He looked disdainfully down at his captive. She was still unconscious – Kohaku must have been a little too enthusiastic about subduing her. Never mind…she would wake up soon enough. He smiled, picturing what would happen then. Panic, shock, anger, then understanding and acceptance. A willing victim. 

The hanyou jumped slightly as the girl began to stir, mumbling incoherently. Covering his fright with a dark scowl, he turned to the other person in the dank little room. "Make sure she wakes up completely, then bring her to me in the hall. Don't let her escape." He swept out of the jail cell, leaving Kohaku in charge of the prisoner.

He looked at the target curiously. It was very strange, but he _did_ remember her from the day before. Usually a target faded from his mind within a few hours of the mission being completed. He didn't think there was any reason why this target should be different from the others…he clutched his head in pain. 'Not again…'

__

A blurred figure in the distance, kneeling in pain. His blade was in her back. As he watched, she turned to him in disbelief. Her face…

"Kohaku?" The weak whisper broke through his thoughts, bringing him back to the present. The target was trying to sit up, bracing her hands on the stone floor. Her face was scrunched up in agony at the movement, breath coming in pained gasps. "K-Kohaku, is that you?"

He took a step back in momentary alarm. 'Why does she call me that? How does she know?' Confused, he brought a hand up to the hilt of his sword. She seemed to notice his action – he didn't understand why that would make her sad. Her eyes had filled with tears. "Kohaku, don't you know me?" She scrambled over to where he stood, grabbing his hand and shocking him. "Remember – Ane-ue?" He pulled his hand roughly out of her grasp and turned away. 

"I don't know you. My master wishes to see you in his hall. Get up."

'Ane-ue? My sister? No, that's impossible.' He turned back again, seeing her slump down on the floor. Her face was streaked with tears – over him? No matter, his master was waiting. "Come."

To his relief she got up without another word. He ushered her out of the cell, following her with his sword at the ready. Lord Naraku was expecting them.

* * *

When Kagome fell down and refused to get up again, Miroku was forced to call a halt to their journey. The group had stopped by a stream for a quick drink. At least, that had been the plan. That plan had been shot to pieces when Kagome stayed where she was, tearfully explaining that she couldn't move a muscle. Inuyasha had been beside her in an instant, snarling up at the houshi in his desire to protect the young miko. A forced march was no big deal for him, but for a frail human? Truth to be told, he was very angry that Miroku had ignored Kagome's condition in favour of continuing his fruitless search. The houshi had the grace to look slightly shamefaced about it all, but he made no apology.

Miroku was deep in thought when he suddenly found himself a foot up in the air, his feet dangling above the ground. He swallowed his angry exclamation when he found a furious hanyou glaring at him, one fist holding him up by his robes. "We're stopping here tonight. Understand?" Without another word, Inuyasha dropped him on the floor and strode back over to where he had laid Kagome on her sleeping bag. At any other time, Miroku would have been amused at the picture it made; the hanyou was tenderly brushing the girl's hair out of her eyes, murmuring at her to get some sleep. She, on the other hand, was tossing around restlessly, her aching muscles not allowing her to relax. He flinched when Inuyasha's accusing amber eyes turned back to him, clearly saying, 'See what you did?'

He sighed. He was sorry for her discomfort, he really was, but he couldn't rest while Sango was in the hands of his enemy. If the others insisted on accompanying him, they would have to keep up. As it was, staying here for the night would just about drive him mad. Who knew what that bastard might do to their friend while they were asleep? It didn't bear thinking about.

Inuyasha swung his head around sharply at the sound of rustling cloth. Miroku had started moving off into the surrounding forest. "Oi, bouzu, where do you think you're going?"

"I'm just taking a walk, Inuyasha. Look after Kagome-sama, I'll be back in a little while." The houshi slipped away into the darkness. Inuyasha grimaced; that didn't sound promising. He poked the red furred bundle that was huddled up next to Kagome. "Hey, runt, wake up!"

"I _am_ awake, dog-breath. What do you want now?"

Inuyasha jerked his head in the direction their companion had taken. "I don't like him going off like that. Look, just follow him, okay? See what he's up to." Shippo puffed his chest out importantly. Finally, a job to do!

"Okay. You be nice to Kagome!" With that final jab, the kitsune leaped away into the shadows. Inuyasha snorted in amusement. 'You be nice to Kagome?' What did that brat think he was, a monster? The girl was hurt, of course he would 'be nice'. Feh.

His thoughts evaporated like mist when the object of his concern started moaning, holding her arm as though she thought it might fall off. He noted worriedly that the muscles in the limb were clenched tight, causing it to tremble uncontrollably. "Kagome?" When she gritted her teeth in answer, he moved closer to her and picked up her arm, knowing he had to get it moving to stop the spasms. It had probably seized up from holding on to him so tightly all day. "This is going to hurt, Kagome. Just don't yell at me, okay?"

Kagome arched her body, trying to get away from the burning pain that had rushed through her arm, yelling wordlessly in protest. Tears spilled out of her eyes as she forced them open, fixing her gaze on the person who was gently flexing her arm from side to side. Somewhere in her head she knew that he was actually helping her, but it sure didn't feel like that right now! However, she had no energy left to fight him, so she submitted to the torture. 

Gradually she became aware that the slow shifting of her arm had stopped, to be replaced by hands cautiously rubbing up and down, restoring the blood flow. She closed her eyes again. Now that the pain had subsided, the rubbing felt really…nice. She cracked one eye open, wondering what he was thinking. To her astonishment his eyes were looking directly into her own, a faintly worried expression on his face. Had she really been making such a fuss? Suddenly, she looked away, embarrassed. "Ah…where's Miroku?" She felt him drop her hand – wait, he had been holding her hand? – and shuffle a little way back from her. "He said he was going for a walk, so I sent Shippo after him." She stared at him, then chuckled. "What's so funny?"

"Shippo?! I'm not sure he could stop Miroku from leaving!" she laughed. "That is, if he was really determined to go." She looked thoughtful.

"Someone had to stay here, and –" He stopped. Dammit, she was looking sad again. What had he done this time?

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I'm keeping you back again. If I hadn't been such a crybaby…" Oh, no, not the tears again. Anything but the tears…

"He can look after himself. You can't. That's just the way it is. So go to sleep." He winced as the words came out. He hadn't meant to snap at her like that. 'Moron.' When was he going to get anything right around this infuriating human female? To his surprise, she smiled. 

"Well, thank you anyway, Inuyasha. Good night." With that she turned over and settled into her bed. Minutes later her breathing told him she had fallen asleep. 'Strange girl.' He stayed sitting beside her, one ear trained towards where he thought the houshi and the spying kitsune would be.

* * *

Shippo crept along on the forest floor, following the distinctive scent of the houshi. It seemed Inuyasha had been right to worry; his tracks led directly away from their campsite. Growling slightly, he put on a burst of speed. The hanyou would have his hide if he let Miroku evade him now. After a minute of running he finally spotted his quarry. "Miroku!"

The houshi stopped in mid-stride, his face going rigid in annoyance at having been followed. "What are you doing here, Shippo? You should be back at the campsite with Kagome and Inuyasha." He frowned. "Is everything alright back there?"

"Well, the fact that you seem to be running out on us isn't what I would call 'alright'."

Miroku sighed at the bitterness in the little youkai's voice. "I can't stop, Shippo. Sango could be anywhere."

"You need sleep, Miroku! You won't be any good to Sango if you're half-dead on your feet!" Indeed, as he watched the houshi was swaying wearily where he stood. "At this rate, _she'll_ end up having to rescue _you_!" Giving up his struggle with gravity, Miroku crashed to the ground in exhaustion. 

"This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been such fool," he said tiredly. "That's why I have to try and fix it. Because I was _being myself_ –" the self-loathing in the houshi's voice startled his kitsune friend – "she decided to find Kohaku rather than stay with the group. Did you know she had seen him earlier that day?" The kitsune shook his head, baffled. "Well, we all knew she was upset by something, we just didn't know _what_."

"She must have decided to track him down, hoping he was nearby. I think she would go to any lengths to get him away from Naraku. That's what scares me." Miroku stared at the ground in front of him, not seeing anything around them. Shippo moved closer to him, not liking the expression on his face. "She would die to save him…she's already come close to it a few times… I suppose I'd be flattering myself to think that she would want to hold on to life for _my_ sake. Yes, I really think she would die for him." He held his hand up to his face, scowling darkly at it. "Just the same as I would die for her, if the circumstances required it."

Shippo gave a startled squeak, then dashed into Miroku's lap, hugging him around the waist. "You don't really mean that, do you? You would leave us forever?" Miroku looked down at him in faint surprise.

"You mean you would miss me?" Somewhere deep inside he had always thought that his importance to the group was not that great. He had tried to keep his distance, knowing that the hole in his hand would eventually claim him.

Shippo thumped him unexpectedly on the chest. "Of course, you jerk! Don't even think about it! Now," he growled, "come back to the camp before I drag you! You have to rest!" He jumped out of Miroku's lap and hooked an arm around his leg, pulling hard. Laughing, Miroku leaned over and patted the cub on the head. "Alright, alright, I'm coming. Don't worry about me." Shippo nodded at him, then started back to the camp. Miroku took one more look around the clearing where they had stopped.

'I would, though.' Slowly he made his way back to the others.

* * *

Sango walked along the dark hall, not daring to say a word. So Naraku was waiting to see her? With any luck, she would be the last thing he ever saw. Of course, she had no idea how she would do this – they had very sensibly taken her weapons away – but that didn't stop her from wanting to do it. The only trouble with that plan was, Kohaku would most likely die if Naraku did. She couldn't allow that. It wasn't much of a life he was leading, she knew, but it was a _life_! 

She blinked as they emerged into a lighter space. 'I've really been in the dark too long,' she mused. Ordinarily she would have considered this to be murky. Now it seemed like bright sunlight. She squinted; Naraku was seated in some kind of throne at the end of the room. How fitting.

"Come closer, my dear," he smirked. "I can't see you properly from all the way back there."

"Keep your filthy endearments to yourself, you weasel!" she snarled. It was all bravado, though – a prod in the back from the tip of Kohaku's sword had her moving towards the throne reluctantly. Her enemy gazed at her almost fondly, making her feel ill. Why was he looking at her like that?

"How do you like what I've done with your brother, Sango?" he taunted her. "Isn't it appropriate? The sister wants to 'save' him, and all he can do is betray her in turn." He stopped, seeming to think over an idea. "But what if he could live again? What would you do, I wonder?" Naraku smiled coldly at her, obviously waiting for some kind of response.

Sango was stricken. 'What would I do? I already know that – anything!' He continued speaking – and what he was saying was nothing short of astonishing.

"You once made a deal with me, my dear – to steal the Tetsusaiga. Would you be willing to do that again? But without the whole 'sword' business…just you." She gaped at him. Had she heard him right? He smirked at her. "I'm quite serious. I'm willing to make an exchange. Your life for his. What do you say?"

Words failed her entirely. Was this the chance she had been waiting for?

* * *

*Phew!* That was a long one! Well, what will she do? Any guesses? Thanks for all your reviews! *hint, hint*

Next Chapter: Awakening


	4. 4 Awakening

Ooh, I got reviews! So you get shout outs (nyah!!!) *pokes tongue at impatient reviewers* We'll get to the story soon!

LilyKitsune: Leave your poor fingernails alone! Glad to hear from you again! Very pleased you like the story line, it took a bit of thinking… I couldn't just abandon the cutest couple ever, now could I? (I/K for those who forgot what they were reading…)

PasoLover: Yep, another time-consuming effort in the tradition *ahem* of Choice and Consequence. I'm glad people say this story is original, I read sooo many fics to make sure I wouldn't accidentally 'steal' from someone…oh my aching head *rubs temples*.

Neoen: Readers like you are sooo good for the ego! It was sad (CandC), but that was the intention. This one won't make you cry (I don't think…no, seriously, it won't!)

Akikaze no Uta: Waaa! Thank you! *bows* I like playing with words…it's lots of fun! Someone once said I was good at cliffhangers…it gets readers back, so don't say you weren't warned. I'm known for 'em. Thanks for the comments! (Shippo/Miroku? Excuse me, I have to go hide under my bedcovers…Mm, Kohaku always did intrigue me.)

Mattielover: You're still here! Wonders will never cease – haven't you been through enough torture after CandC? I won't give anything away, but…well, this isn't a tragedy. Okay?

Sailorpsychosis: Umm…dachshunds? That's a new one….will require a bit of imagination (if you were actually serious, that is.) Believe it or not, some ideas are there – you're scary…giving me weird plots to work with! And yes, there aren't enough good S/M fics out there…so hard to find *growls*.

Rurouni Star: I'm glad my story is easy on the eyes…I, too, hate never-ending blocks of writing. @_@

Wizardess Gal: Hmm, interesting plot. To see how close your guess was…read on!

Meri Hirano: That chapter was getting too long! Had to stop. Sorry.

A/N: Hello you beautiful people! Here is yet another chapter for your reading pleasure! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: This is getting old… Look, I don't own it, okay? Sheesh…

* * *

Under Control

Chapter 4: Awakening

Naraku waited for the girl's reply. It wasn't exactly crucial…if she turned the offer down, then he could simply have Kohaku kill her. But the other way would be so much more enjoyable…

And there was no doubt in his mind that she was the stronger warrior of the two. Having her in his forces would be a great advantage. In that moment he decided to keep her around even if she refused – but there was no reason she had to know that.

The woman had raised her eyes to meet his. Not that it was unexpected, but it sent a thrill through him just the same. 'Maybe she'll accept?' He was practically jumping around (on the inside) with anticipation. Outwardly he was as inscrutable as ever. This was even better than baiting that ridiculous inuhanyou and his undead miko!

"Explain the terms." There was definite steel in that voice. So she _was_ considering it.

"The boy is under my control, as you know. I wish to have one of your family in this position – after all, demon extermination is dangerous to my kind. Some sort of revenge is required. And your undeniable skills would be very useful. So, I will let him go if you agree to stay here in his place. He will no longer need the shard – that will naturally stay with me – and he will have his memories." Naraku smiled. The boy's memories would more than likely drive him insane, so the 'gift' wouldn't exactly be kind. "You will stay here, under my control as he is now. You will obey me without question. Understand one thing, though." Here he paused, beckoning the boy to come closer to him. When his minion had come close enough, he reached out to grasp Kohaku firmly around the neck. "If you refuse, his life is forfeit. Your choice. He will die, and you will die as well. You stay, he lives."

Sango couldn't tear her eyes away from her brother's face. Those dead eyes, the lifeless expression. Any other person would be begging, pleading for their lives, and he was just standing there! She could still remember the little boy who would run up to her after training, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling. The little boy who loved to laugh at anything and everything that had caught his eye.

He was everything to her. 'But,' her mind said quietly, 'what about your friends?' 

Sango considered this. What about them? They had each other for company; Kagome…she would miss Kagome. The young miko would be heartbroken, yes, but somehow she would understand. She would recover. Inuyasha…he would more than likely be very angry, both at her and Naraku, and would work it out in taking his revenge on Naraku. Yes, as long as there was a fight around he would be alright. Houshi-sama…Her thoughts suddenly slammed into a thick wall.

Houshi-sama…

Her heart hurt her suddenly. What would he do if she did this? Answer: mourn her for a while, express his grief that he was unable to save her…then find the first available female to flirt with. She realized that her thoughts of her (her?) houshi were less than charitable, but to be honest, she was trying to talk herself into this deal. A deal with the devil himself. And that decided her more than anything. If she was trying so hard to convince herself to take the plunge, then it must be what she wanted to do. Right?

She looked once more at her brother. 'Be happy, Kohaku. That's all I ever wanted.'

Squaring her shoulders, she met Naraku's gaze. "I accept."

"Excellent." He released the boy and stepped towards her, an unholy grin on his face. "Brace yourself." He reached out and laid one cold hand on her head…and the world disappeared. There was nothing. Nothing but black. 

The hanyou smiled as the girl crumpled up to fall on the floor in front of him. He gestured to Kagura, who had seen the whole thing. "Take him far away from here, but make sure he is left somewhere that the houshi and his friends will find him. He has one more service yet to perform. Oh, wait…one more thing." He nudged the boy to the side, exposing his back. With one swift movement, the shikon shard had been pulled free and was glimmering darkly in Naraku's hand. He bent and slipped the shard into Sango's back. Kagura could not hide her confusion at the fact that the boy had not crumbled to dust.

Naraku noticed this, and decided to explain. It would forestall the annoying questions later on. (This detachment of himself really was rather troublesome with her curiosity…he would have to do something about that, he told himself.) "I have exchanged their life forces, Kagura. He has her life now, and she is dependent on the shard for survival, just as he was. As long as my spell holds, she will be under the control of the shard, and therefore under my control." 

Kagura had spotted the one obvious flaw in his plan, but she said nothing. Perhaps she could exploit it for her own purposes later on. But right now she had a boy to deliver. She looked at the former slave; he had fallen to the floor as he was released from the shard's power, his eyes closed as if in sleep. Puffing with the slight exertion, she hauled him up over her shoulder and carried him out of the hall. She could have summoned one of her feathers – but Lord Naraku didn't like big feathers in his hall.

Sometimes she swore he prohibited her from using that little trick just to annoy her. How typical.

As Kagura struggled away with her burden, Naraku looked at his prize and smiled. Slender, lithe, well-muscled form; and totally unaware of the role she was to play. His plan pleased him more and more as each day passed. It had started as a simple trick, playing brother against sister…but then that ridiculous houshi had appeared, giving the scheme a whole new slant. So many possibilities…

He had been worried for the female human. His voice had given him away. And worry could be manipulated in the most delicious ways – he now had the chance to hurt the houshi so badly, his spirit would never recover. But for that, he had to find the boy. Much depended on that…he hoped Kagura was equal to the task. Sometimes he doubted her ability to follow orders; and so he kept an eye on her. "Kanna." Wordlessly the small girl moved over towards her master, holding her mirror up to his gaze. He could see his servant lugging the boy away, then transferring him to one of those laughable feathers. She looked to be heading to a village that was a day's travel from his castle. Good enough. "Leave." She lowered the mirror and exited the room as silently as she had come. An exemplary slave; so obedient, so guileless…so boring.

At least he didn't have to talk to her as much as to the others. He had had to be uncharacteristically chatty with that stupid human, and Kagura always required an explanation. He vastly preferred to remain silent and aloof, letting his actions speak for him. Chattiness was distasteful and vulgar. He gave a miniscule shudder – it had been a necessary evil. Image came secondary to the plan. And what a plan…

He could barely stop himself from rubbing his hands in anticipation. He was going to enjoy this.

* * *

Inuyasha didn't want to wake up. It wasn't that his muscles were sore or anything – quite the opposite, he felt energized. It was just that he was comfortable…and warm…what?

He was still next to Kagome. _Lying_ next to Kagome while they had been sleeping. Oh, gods. How was he going to explain this one? He quickly ran the events of last night through his head. Kagome had finally fallen asleep after he had tended to her arm, and shortly after that Shippo had returned, followed by a morose-looking Miroku. The houshi had flopped down on the ground and gone to sleep himself; for some reason, Shippo had decided to huddle up to him rather than Kagome, like he usually would. It was almost funny – the baby youkai was giving every sign of 'protecting' the houshi. Ha! Although, there was one good point to this new development…

Maybe the kitsune wouldn't demand so much of Kagome's attention from now on. He was getting fed up with competing – 

His thoughts broke off abruptly as he was reminded of his current predicament. How to get away from the girl without disturbing her? She would not appreciate it if she knew that they had been practically _touching_ all night. He was still puzzling over the problem when she scared the life out of him by rolling over in her sleep – ending up with one arm resting across his chest. He could see imminent death by 'sitting' in his future. However, there was nothing for it…the girl had to wake up! He shifted slowly, trying to edge out from under her hand. His heart sank when her eyes snapped open. 'Wait for it…'

"Kyaaa!" Yep, there it was – well, who wouldn't be frightened out of their wits upon being greeted by a hanyou nearby? True, it wasn't as bad as seeing a full youkai as soon as you woke up (the runt didn't count), but this was why he insisted on sleeping in trees. Contrary to popular opinion, he didn't like getting screamed at. It was…discouraging. He sat where he was, letting her scramble away from him. It wasn't like he hadn't expected that to happen.

Kagome regarded him with wide blue eyes. She honestly hadn't meant to deafen the poor boy, but seeing his face so close to hers when she woke up had been more than a little unsettling. So, she had resorted to the one means of defense she could think of. Screaming.

Now she braced herself for the inevitable argument that was about to erupt. He would yell at her for screaming, she would yell at him for yelling, he would belittle humans in general, and she would 'sit' him. She waited for the yell that would signal the start of their little ritual. It didn't come.

She had closed her eyes, waiting for the initial onslaught. When nothing happened, she peeked out at him. He was just sitting there? This was surely one for the record books! Her gaze flicked up to his ears…she could always get a feel for his moods by what his ears did. They had flattened to the sides of his head when she had shrieked at him, then started twitching in annoyance. But now they were drooping. Huh?

"Inuyasha?" She could have sworn he flinched when she spoke his name. Weird. "Hey, Inuyasha?" No mistake; he flinched. What had gotten into him? 'Besides you screaming right in his face, you mean?' she asked herself. 'Oh, yeah. That.' She kept looking at him…he looked like a kicked puppy. Not good. She was about to speak up again when he suddenly straightened his shoulders, his eyes hardening once more. "Get your lazy butt up, wench, Naraku won't wait around all day." Without glancing back at her he moved off into the forest. Ooh, that infuriating, overbearing…dog!

"SIT!!!" Wham. There was the sound of someone spitting leaves out of their mouth. She giggled.

"Wench, when I get back there, you'd better – " She blocked the noise out. Honestly, his threats were getting old. He hadn't come up with a new one in weeks. But he'd been so nice last night… She jumped a little when she realized that Miroku was also up, hastily gathering everything together in readiness to travel again. He gave her a weak smile, but was obviously preoccupied. She couldn't really blame him.

As soon as the ticked off hanyou made his way back to them (and Shippo was up too – he had taken a bit of persuading) they were off again. They had no idea what would be waiting for them.

* * *

He didn't want to open his eyes. His head hurt.

__

Ane-ue… But I thought you were dead!

He cracked one eye open – bright sunlight rushed in, swamping his senses. He quickly screwed his eyes shut again, trying to get rid of the purple spots behind his eyelids. 'That never happened before,' was the thought that ran through his mind. Then he caught himself. 'Before?…" A different kind of pain flooded his soul. He remembered.

__

The hunt…his father, friends…his sister…

A man in a baboon pelt…his master…

That young woman he was supposed to have killed… he couldn't do it!

That village…a beautiful woman and her attendants…a baby…all dead…

So much blood…he couldn't stop it…couldn't control his actions…

His sister in his master's castle…crying in her cell…

He hadn't known her…she had begged, but he hadn't remembered her…

"NO!" He bashed his head against the ground, forcing the thoughts into the back of his mind. He didn't want to remember. He couldn't bear the knowledge of what he had done.

She was alive. Against all the odds, she was alive. Or at least, she had been. Why was he out here? 

And where was she now? There was no way…he strained for a second. Naraku. That was monkey-man's name. There was no way Naraku had simply let her go once she was inside his castle. He had seen enough to know that that just never happened. Never. Which meant she was still there.

He turned over onto his side, tears leaking out of the corners of his eyes. For all he knew, she was dead. Just like he had believed her to be all along. A clanking noise dragged him back to reality. 'What is that?' He twisted around to find the source of the noise. 'What? – Oh.' His chain-blade. In sudden fury he ripped the chain from its fastenings and threw the weapon away from him as hard as he could. He wanted no part of that murder weapon. That cursed piece of metal had taken away his family, his life…everything. Exhausted, he flopped bonelessly back to the grassy floor.

He had no idea what had happened to bring him back. Had Ane-ue done this?

A murmur of voices eventually caught his attention. Who would be walking out here at this time of day? It was late afternoon – surely all the villagers would be retiring for the evening? He stretched his hearing to its utmost. The voices were strangely familiar…

"Miroku! Are you sure you know where you're going? We haven't seen any youkai for ages! Surely – "

"Kagome-sama, we don't have time to argue about this. Just trust me, please? We have to reach Sango."

Kohaku sat bolt upright. 'Sango? He knows Ane-ue?'

"Bouzu, you couldn't find your hand if it was right in front of your face! Let me take the lead for once, my senses are sharper than yours." 

"As much as I hate to say it, he's right. Miroku, take a break for a while!"

"Shippo, have you forgotten what we talked about last night?"

"Have you? You need to rest! Dog-boy can walk up front for now."

"Oi!" A girlish giggle. It sounded nice…

He couldn't take it anymore. His mind was telling him that his sister had been traveling with some other people – maybe these were her friends? He couldn't remember names yet, but the voices had triggered the memory. Perhaps some more would come in time. He struggled to his feet.

"H-Hey! Excuse me? Hello? Over here!" He called as loud as his vocal chords could manage – they felt ragged after not being used for so long. Not for yelling, anyway. He sighed in relief as the group slowed down in response to his call. They all looked completely astounded at his sudden 'arrival', almost as though they had seen a ghost. The houshi looked as though he was about to fall to his knees in shock. The boy sighed. Time to get it over with. He remembered them now – he had fought them on occasion…and that girl on the red-robed man's back was the one he had tried to kill. He doubted he would receive a warm welcome.

* * *

Sango was floating. A sea of darkness. Cold, calm, comforting. Wait…a memory.

__

Dark blue robes…purple eyes…a staff in his hands…a face?

Ow. Pain lanced through the darkness. Remember, you're not supposed to think about that. It only hurts when you think about those people. 

__

Laughing blue eyes, black hair…a large backpack…strange clothes…

Argh! That hurt! Don't think about them, idiot. Don't think.

__

A hand wrapped in a strange glove…rosary beads…rushing air…

No! Not again…I promise, I won't think about it! I promise!

Naraku was pleased with how the 'training' was progressing. The girl lay on the cold floor of her cell, writhing in her efforts to escape the pain her thoughts were causing. This breaking wouldn't take very long, he mused. She would shortly be ready for use. The boy would have almost certainly been discovered by now…she would have to accept his orders before they got here. And once they arrived…

He couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. 

Especially the houshi's. Revenge was sweet.

* * *

Miroku couldn't believe his eyes. That young boy over there…it couldn't be. "Kohaku?" 

When the kid looked up in recognition of his name, the houshi just about fell over. It was impossible; should have been impossible. He glanced over at Kagome, his question obvious. She frowned and shook her head. So, no shikon shard. Then how was he here?

"Houshi-sama?" The young voice, so similar to Sango's, just about broke his heart. That was _her_ name for him…

When he finally spoke, his voice was terse and demanding. "Where is Sango? How did you get here?"

He quaked inwardly when the boy looked like he might start crying. He hated it when children cried. "I-I don't know. The last thing I remember…she was standing in front of monkey-man…uh, Naraku, and…umm…" The child clutched his head, obviously straining to remember. Kagome looked on in concern. Inuyasha just folded his arms over his chest, frowning impressively. He hadn't forgotten what this seemingly defenseless young one had done.

"Unh, she…agreed? I don't know what he said, but she agreed." A random thought struck him forcibly. "He didn't kill her, but…I don't know. Sorry." He hung his head dejectedly. Even with his memories he couldn't help his sister. How pathetic.

Miroku was thinking too fast to notice the boy's sadness. 'Agreed? Agreed to what? Naraku has shown a tendency to make deals, bargains….what could he possibly gain?'

'What would convince him to give up a perfectly good warrior slave?'

'A better warrior…'

'Oh, no. Please, no.'

He knew. He didn't know how he knew, exactly, but he did. It had been a swap. Kohaku for Sango. 

No.

His head snapped up to catch his companions' eyes, the answer written clearly in his own. They held sorrow, anger and incredible determination.

Kagome could hardly meet his anguished gaze. 'What does he know that we don't?' She got her answer.

"She made a deal with Naraku. Her life for _his_." He gestured roughly at the shaking boy. "She's made it clear repeatedly that she would give her life for him. And now she's gone and done it." He wanted to scream, to open that cursed hole in his hand and let it run wild, consequences be damned. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing.

Only one thing gave him hope. Kohaku seemed to think she was still alive. By all that was holy, he would find her. He would stake his own life on it.

Two could play at that game.

* * *

Ack! I wrote this in one day! You'd think I would have something better to do…no, wait! What am I saying? *Grumbles* not thinking straight…it _is _11pm in Oz right now… ugh. Next update soon! Maybe even tomorrow – no, more likely Friday. I got stuff I gotta do tomorrow. See ya!

Next Chapter: Unwelcome Visitor


	5. 5 Unwelcome Visitor

Shout outs! (Blah, blah, blah….)

Sailorpsychosis: How do you do it? You must, oh, I don't know, lie in wait in front of the computer…you're always my first reviewer! Not that I'm complaining. As for 'monkey-man', well the kid's only 9 or 10, right? I've got to make him act a _little_ like a kid.

PasoLover: I'm sure I'll think of more Naraku-names. What fun! As for Sango, well, this story will work itself out, but perhaps not in way you'd expect…

Mvdiva: Thanks for coming back! Hmm, so do I, and no, he wouldn't (maybe?) *evil grin*

Mattielover: I _always_ return soon…thank goodness I have a laptop to work on, or I'd be accused of hogging the computer. *Gulp*

LilyKitsune: Mm-hmm, poor everyone! The chapters, if anything, will be picking up the pace from now on. (Oof – hard work! But fun.) Sooo…they may be better! Can't promise anything, though.

A/N: This story is running away from me somewhat…have you ever noticed how stories tend to start writing themselves? You get ideas as you write, and end up changing the whole thing! Most annoying… But for the most part it's turning out like I planned. I'm thrilled with the reviews so far, too! Don't stop!

Disclaimer: Any complaints, see Rumiko Takahashi – it was her idea, not mine!

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 5: Unwelcome Visitor

__

They are your enemies.

'Yes, I know.'

__

They would destroy you

'I won't let them.'

__

As they destroyed your family.

'Consider them dead.'

Naraku looked on in grim satisfaction as his newest protege obliterated yet another target in her path. She really made quite a spectacular picture as she ducked and wove around the various obstacles in the training ground. Once she had accepted his control, it had been a relatively easy task to plant ideas in her head. In her helplessly confused mental state, she had appeared to accept his version of the 'truth' without question. Not before quite a strenuous battle of wills, of course; she had been rather much stronger than he had first assumed. But she had fallen in the end.

Just as they all did.

He resisted the traitorous urge to dodge as chips of shattered wood came flying at him – another target gone. To achieve such incredible force, she must have been imagining that the dummy was one of her enemies. He smirked at the remembrance of the tales he had spun in the girl's mind. Who was it this time?

The girl who had held her back with her miko powers?

The kitsune who had used his illusions to draw her family into an ambush?

The young warrior who had callously led them into the trap?

The hanyou who had torn her father in two before her very eyes?

Or even better…

The houshi who had drawn her remaining mother, sister and younger brother into a hole in his hand?

Thanks to him, she would attack them all on sight. She would have no inkling that they were her friends, come to rescue her. It wouldn't even occur to her to doubt the 'knowledge' she possessed. She would unhesitatingly destroy them all, one by one. Then he would allow her mind to surface, to give her the actual proof that her nearest and dearest were dead by her own hand.

Even the houshi who had the audacity to love her.

There had been no mistaking the emotion in his voice when he had seen her lying in the alley. He had heard it before in that inuhanyou's voice. He knew its power from Onigumo who still, annoyingly enough, resided within him.

Yes, she would know – and then he would seal her away again, with that one memory burning in her mind forever. She would want to die…and he wouldn't let her.

Naraku tilted his head upwards, pondering his next move. By this time the boy would have been found, and his sad story told. For this new addition to his original plan, he needed the troublesome little group to find him here. The boy couldn't lead them, as he had been unconscious when Kagura had removed him from the premises – so they would need a guide.

A slow smile spread across his face. He had the ideal person in mind. Someone whom Inuyasha would be bound to trust.

Perfect.

* * *

"Let him alone for a while, Miroku. Can't you see he's tired?"

"We're _all_ tired, Kagome-sama, but he's still regaining his memory! He may recall something that will help us find Sango. Kohaku, keep tryi – urk!"

Miroku's voice had been cut off by a strong hand clasped easily around his throat. Inuyasha's amber eyes bored into the houshi's purple ones. "Give it a rest, bouzu. It's been three hours." He gestured towards the spot where the boy was curled up, his hands clutching his head convulsively. Kohaku's eyes were squeezed shut in obvious pain, sweat standing out in tiny beads on his skin. Inuyasha wasn't one for going easy on former opponents – especially not ones who were involved with Naraku – but even he could see that the boy was at breaking point. He growled once more to make his point perfectly clear to his overly zealous friend.

Back off or else.

Miroku folded his arms in a show of obstinacy, but he relented in the face of Inuyasha's wrath. Besides, it wasn't as if he hadn't seen the boy's torment – it was just that he was desperate to find Sango… "Very well." Satisfied, Inuyasha released his grip on Miroku's neck and shuffled back over to sit next to Kagome.

He had avoided looking directly at her since the screaming incident that morning. He would never openly admit it, of course, but his confidence had been more than a little damaged when she'd shrieked right in his _hanyou_ face. For the longest time she had insisted that she didn't look down on him for being a half-breed, and that it didn't scare her at all. But somewhere in his fuzzy little mind he couldn't quite make himself believe her.

Kagome chanced a quick look at the dog-boy beside her. His ears were drooping again. She wished she knew what was going on inside his thoughts – they obviously weren't happy ones. Suddenly her temper flared. She was _so_ tired of dancing around this infuriating person; trying not to tread on his clawed toes. Sango was in a perilous situation, and they didn't have time for these trivial little squabbles! Whatever it was, she was sick of it.

"Sit." The hanyou unexpectedly found himself being flattened.

"What the _hell_ was that for?!"

"You're not moving until you tell me why you're avoiding me!"

"I'm not avoiding you! I carried you today, didn't I?"

"You won't look at me! Oh, no you don't…. 'Sit'." Inuyasha crashed back to the ground. He cursed angrily; he had been on the verge of getting away! He didn't bother trying to get up again – he had no desire to be continually slammed into the dirt. "Wench."

"Don't call me that! And why won't you look at me?" She scooted around to a spot in front of the prostrate hanyou so that she could glare directly into his eyes, where he couldn't avoid her gaze. His fiery amber eyes stared up at her from the forest floor. Apparently he had changed tactics…from avoidance to intimidation. He wasn't even blinking. Despite the anger that had driven her to this in the first place, she felt herself weaken under the visual assault. He really was quite impressive.

"Well?" he growled at her. She moved back a little in consternation…he didn't just sound angry. There was something more in his voice. He probably wasn't aware of it (was he ever?) but his tone had betrayed a certain resignation, a sadness that she was at a complete loss to explain. What could have brought this on? She could understand him being slightly mad at her for screaming at him this morning, but this was beyond simple annoyance. "Er…well what?" He turned his head away from her angrily.

"Feh. I'm a hanyou, what would I know?" She couldn't believe her ears.

"What?! You have got be kidding me! I never said anything about you being a hanyou today…why are you so worked up about it?" Her own anger drained away to be replaced by concern. She hated seeing him like this, so unsure of himself. She jumped slightly when he finally spoke. "Why else would you scream so loud, unless it was because you were scared of me?" He was snapping at her again, but it seemed to be more out of self-defense than a wish to antagonize. She shook her head in bewilderment. 'Unbelievable.'

"Inuyasha, I just wasn't expecting to see a face that close to me in the morning. I would have screamed just as loudly if it had been Miroku." She paused. "Actually, it probably would have been louder if it was Miroku." Slowly Inuyasha's ears moved forwards. 'Good, I'm getting through to him.'

Kohaku had never in his life seen behaviour like this. He watched the arguing couple with eyes as round as saucers, mouth hanging slightly open. From what he had seen, the houshi treated this fight as an ordinary occurrence, as did the baby kitsune. In fact, they seemed bored by the whole thing. When Shippo looked over at the newest member of their group, he grinned and jumped over to tap the youngster on the chin. "You'll let flies in."

Abruptly Kohaku shut his mouth, somewhat chagrined that the youkai had caught him staring like a fool. After all, he was trained as a demon exterminator, wasn't he supposed to be better than the youkai he hunted? More observant, more quick-witted? This situation just didn't make sense to him.

Especially as this fox youkai seemed more accepting of him than the humans in the group did. He took a cautious peek over at Miroku. The houshi caught his eye, then turned his head away without saying a word. When he hadn't been exhorting Kohaku to stretch his memory to the utmost, he had totally ignored the boy. Not that he could blame him…he had fought against them in the past, at the orders of his former master. He had helped to capture his own sister and turned her over to that same man. No, he couldn't blame the houshi at all. If he could, he would ignore himself. 

Kohaku forced his thoughts away from the cold-eyed houshi and looked once more at the bickering pair by the fire. Well, they had been bickering – now they were sitting quite peaceably side-by-side. He had no idea how that had happened. Strange.

Miroku, meanwhile, was lost in his own little world. All the distractions around him were annoying, making it hard to concentrate, but it didn't stop him from trying. He blocked out the sounds of Kagome and Inuyasha having yet another 'disagreement'; he consciously deflected Kohaku's inquiring looks. The boy looked unbearably sad…and rightly so. The things that the child had done were monstrous, and quite deserving of sadness. The child….

The child….

'He's just a child,' Miroku thought in self-disgust. 'He couldn't know what was happening, and he's too young to stop what's going on…how can I treat him in this manner?' Of course, he knew the answer to that one. His mind would not let him forget what he had seen in the alley that night. But the lad hadn't really had a choice in that, had he? No. Miroku sighed, resolving to be more civil towards their new companion.

If only he didn't look so much like Sango. It hurt just to look at the kid.

A familiar presence made his senses tingle. He quickly got to his feet, looking at his friends to see if they had arrived at the same conclusion. Inuyasha's eyes were shuttered, not letting any emotion through. Kagome, on the other hand, was reaching for her bow and arrows, her eyes locked onto the silvery light that filtered through the trees. Her face showed no reaction, but her voice was sad. "Kikyou."

Kohaku gasped softly. 'I know that name…'

* * *

Kikyou made her way through the densely wooded forest, knowing that the people she was trying to reach would find her soon enough. Just to be sure, she sent a few of her shinidama-chuu ahead of her. The light their ghostly bodies emitted would be certain to get their attention. She suppressed a chilly smile when she heard a startled yelp – apparently the shinidama-chuu had mistaken the reincarnation for their usual source of souls. Not that that wasn't a good idea…she could hardly stand to have her own soul inhabiting that weak reincarnated body…but the girl's demise was not high on her agenda this evening.

Tonight she was interested in information. More precisely, on giving out information.

It irked her no end, but the fact remained that this motley assortment of travelers was her best chance for defeating Naraku. Her hatred for Inuyasha did not decrease in the slightest in the light of this knowledge, nor her hatred of the reincarnation. The houshi she knew little of, and nor did she wish to. The same applied to the small fox cub that accompanied them wherever they went.

All she knew was that they opposed Naraku, and that was good enough for her. Of course, the outcome of her actions this evening may not be considered as being 'in their best interests', but she was not one to pass up an opportunity. Naraku's words were always double-edged; perhaps this time he would be taken down by his own scheme. Hence her agreement… And besides, once her job was over, she could devote her energy to more enjoyable things. Such as getting rid of that reincarnation and dragging her one-time lover to Hell with her. All in good time. 'Hopefully sooner rather than later,' she thought sourly.

The sound of breaking twigs and crushed leaves alerted her to the approach of her quarry. Calmly she summoned her shinidama-chuu, enjoying the way they wove around her body. 'So graceful…' It appeared that Inuyasha was cross with her.

"Kikyou – control those youkai of yours! They tried to take Kagome's soul from her!" She smiled slowly. So she had been right…the youkai were sensitive to the wishes of their mistress even when they weren't directly indicated. They knew she wanted that soul gone. Sighing in contentment, she looked at the group before her. The anger had faded from Inuyasha's face, leaving instead a sort of wistful apprehension. "Kikyou," he seemed to savour the sound of her name, "why are you here?" The perfect opening.

"I have learned of a new warrior in Naraku's employ. She is deadly, and single-mindedly devoted to his service." The houshi flinched at her words, making her frown in confusion. Fear was understandable, but sorrow? Unusual. "A shikon shard has been implanted in her body, making her a formidable foe. For some reason, she does not leave the grounds of Naraku's castle for any reason. If you want to handle this, you will most likely have to go to her."

"And where exactly is that?" Miroku bit out. He had had enough of this undead miko – bad enough that she came with such dreadful news, but even worse would be if they still had no clue of Naraku's (and therefore Sango's) location. There was no doubt in his mind that she was talking about Sango. Kikyou suppressed a smirk – they were reacting precisely as expected. But she was determined not to make this too easy for them. "It is about a day's hard travel to the north from here." The grimaces that the comment evoked were quite amusing…just enough information to tantalize, but not enough to work with. 'How frustrating for them…' Well, that job was done. Her side of the deal was fulfilled; now on to her other priority. And funnily enough, it was Naraku's as well. She recalled what he had told her.

__

"Once you have delivered the message, I want you to stay with them. Undermine their strength – for this to work, they must be weak. I have only one condition…do not destroy the houshi. Other than that, I don't care what you do. The hanyou and the miko in particular have been quite annoying to me…and it's no secret that you have your own goals for those two."

"Inuyasha," she called softly. His eyes shot up to meet her own. "Have you forgotten your promise to me?" She smiled as he stepped towards her – all too easy. The reincarnation stood no chance against her!

"I remember." His voice was soft, almost sorrowful. She frowned…something wasn't right.

* * *

Inuyasha couldn't take his eyes off of Kikyou. In turn, he could practically feel Kagome's eyes glued on him, twin points of light boring into his back. He apologized silently for what he was about to do. He hoped Kagome would understand.

He took a deep breath and gently took Kikyou by the shoulders. She seemed to smile then, leaning towards him. Closing his eyes, he quickly bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. 'Kagome, forgive me…It's not what you think!' A pained gasp from behind him nearly brought him to his knees, but he had to go through with this. Later he would explain, but for now he couldn't bring himself to look Kagome in the eye. He broke the kiss, moving back from the undead miko and taking one of her cold hands in his. He shuddered inwardly at the look Kikyou was directing at him. The stench of death and decay that hung around her was getting to him. He struggled to find his voice. "I promised…"

"To go to Hell with me. We cannot go yet, Inuyasha, first we must destroy Naraku." He shook his head wordlessly. "What?" When he spoke again, his words came out slowly, as though he was weighing each one.

"I can't come with you." She stared at him, her eyes filled with cold fury.

"Once Naraku is gone, there is nothing to hold you here. You belong with me!"

Inuyasha looked at her as though he had just seen her for the first time. How could he explain this? "Kikyou, once that would have been true. I didn't have anything to hold me. And that is why I could make that promise. But since then…" He fell silent for a moment, glancing at the people standing nearby. His heart almost broke at the sight of Kagome on her knees, one hand pressed over her mouth, her eyes filled with unshed tears. Resolutely he turned away, facing his former love. "I have something to stay for, now. I –" He hesitated. "I have to know something…why did you want me to become human?"

He watched Kikyou's eyes narrow, suspicious of the question. "So we could be together. Why else?"

"Would you have accepted me as a hanyou, if that hadn't been possible?" She didn't answer. And finally, without even realizing it, he made his decision. "You wouldn't have, Kikyou. You wanted me to be something that I wasn't." Of its own accord, his mind replayed Kagome's words from earlier.

__

She had just said that she would scream louder at the sight of Miroku? Now THAT didn't sit right with him. He was a hanyou, no sense in denying it. Kagome's next words broke into his thoughts. "It's true, you are a hanyou. But I've never really understood why you hate that so much. I mean, look at all the things you can do! A human couldn't do those…and a youkai wouldn't want to do what you do for us. You are…my friend, and I would never be scared of you because of who you are." She stopped talking suddenly, looking down at the ground in apparent embarrassment at having said so much. The two of them remained sitting in the uncomfortable silence – but something had changed. He finally understood.

"They accept me as I am, Kikyou. Something you could never do. And I…don't want to lose that." He bowed his head, knowing it was useless. This animated body was not Kikyou, and could not be swerved from its goal. There was one way out of this. "I'm sorry." He reached out a hand and struck at something with his claws. It hissed as it was torn apart…

Kikyou's eyes widened in disbelief as several souls fled her body. "The shinidama-chuu!" He held her firmly in one arm as he struck out again, decimating another of the soul-bearing youkai. Her face crumpled in pain. "Inuyasha, no!"

"I can't let you take me, Kikyou, and I won't let you harm Kagome either." Another swipe. She gasped. "You are my responsibility, and I can't allow you to go on like this." With one last strike, the last of the shinidama-chuu disappeared. As the last remaining soul left her body, Kikyou relaxed in his grip. Slowly he lowered her to the ground, watching in regret as her body crumbled into dust. "Goodbye." 

A startled exclamation from Miroku had him whirling around in concern. Kagome was glowing, her eyes wide in shock. "Inuyasha..?"

"It's the piece of her soul," he said quietly. "The one that Kikyou used to stay alive." He sighed, partly from sadness, partly from relief. "The soul is complete again."

A sudden noise disturbed them out of the stunned silence that had taken hold. A buzzing noise signaled the departure of a Saimyoushou…on its way back to Naraku. Miroku made an inarticulate noise, uncharacteristic rage filling his features. "It was a trap." Kohaku finally forced himself to speak up. 

"I remember Kikyou from my master's castle." The adults turned towards him, beckoning for him to continue. "All she used to talk about was taking him – " he pointed to the hanyou –"to Hell, and her – " he pointed at the motionless miko –"back into herself." He frowned. "I never really understood that."

"Well now you do," Inuyasha said gruffly. "Enough talking…she said one day's travel north. Let's go." The others looked at him in consternation. "Ah, Inuyasha?" Shippo piped up. "Do you really trust what she said?" His answer surprised them all.

"No. But we don't have anything else to go by, and it's better than nothing." Without another word he motioned for Kagome to climb onto his back, ready to travel. She gave him a look that promised a _long_ talk later on. No excuses. He nodded shortly in agreement, but gave no other response. She shook her head and climbed on, slipping her arms around his neck. Miroku, once he had recovered from the events of the evening, was eager to be on the move again. Finally, a clue! Even if it wasn't all good news.

Kohaku said nothing. He recognized the description that the dead woman had given. It sounded like Sango was Naraku's new slave. And now that he could recall what that had been like, he could not wait to get to her and get her out of there. At any cost.

* * *

Sango stopped her training for a moment as the Saimyoushou gave a report to her master. He didn't seem to be very pleased with the news he received…as he proved when he struck out at the insect, slicing it to ribbons. Muttering something about foolish mikos, he stalked back to his quarters, leaving her alone.

That word…miko. It triggered some memories that she didn't really want.

A young, raven-haired miko, laughing as she held Sango back with her powers – watching as her family was slaughtered.

She shook her head. For some reason that thought still didn't sit right with her. She reached back into her mind to try and figure out what was wrong…

__

A young miko, laughing freely as she played with a kitsune cub…

A familiar flash of pain caused Sango's thoughts to falter. 'But…that one felt right, somehow.' Ignoring the pain, she dug deeper into her memories…surely _something_ was still there!

__

A blue-robed houshi, smiling at her over the table, a cup raised to his lips…

That houshi again. But his smile wasn't cold this time – it was warm, and friendly…

"Argh!" She kicked out at one of the wooden targets in frustration. The painful memories caused no discomfort, but the happier thoughts caused her pain. "Which ones are true?"

She didn't know anymore. Shaking her head in confusion, she blocked out all thoughts except those that concerned her training. Her master had told her that their enemies were coming, and she had to be ready. No matter what tricks her mind was playing on her.

There was just one thing she wanted to know…who were those people?

* * *

Ooof…that was so hard to write! Well, Kikyou's gone…all have a party now! Er, ok. Maybe not. Anyway, next chapter soon, as always. For those who are curious, I purposely left some unclear points in this one…to be cleared up next time. No flames please! Thanks for the reviews!

Next Chapter: Fading Memory


	6. 6 Fading Memory

Shout outs as per usual:

LilyKitsune: We have a winner! I only posted this story something like 7 hours ago, and you're here already! Whoa. Perhaps not 'romantic bliss'…he still has some _explaining_ to do.

Bikutoria: Unh, I'm sad for me too. And I'm proud of our boy as well. 'That' scene was the reason for those little I/K snapshots all through the first part of the story – it couldn't just 'happen' out of nowhere like that. It needed a bit of a lead-up…

Neoen: Can't have Kikyou messing things up later. A few chapters before 'the showdown' to go, don't go away! *****Gasps* I have fans? Yay! *Dances around looking like an idiot* Er, yeah, I'm ok.

Momentum: Hey, a new reader! Welcome…glad you like it!

Akikaze no Uta: Reviewer number 50!!! Woohoo! Exciting, huh? It took me two blasted tries! I never thought of Kikyou as being particularly bitchy, just…a seriously confused, lost individual – with an Inuyasha obsession (just like the rest of us!) Sango _is_ strong, that's essential to the plot…but as to why this is different to Kohaku's case, well, that's a secret! (I'll tell you all later…) No, not the potatoes! *Hides*

Murasaki Kitsune: Gee, some people seem to be glad that Kikyou's gone…wonder why? It's getting better, huh? Wow.

Vampire-Elf: The thing with Kikyou was fun because it wasn't a huge part of the plot, like it normally is. Yep, plan backfired, now he has to deal with the consequences…I wonder how?

Megumi Sagara1: She can't die twice, ya know! (Well, not in my fanfic, anyway.)

Mattielover: No worries, hope you like what you read anyway!

A/N: Erm, any other reviewers, sorry if I missed you! I try to reply to everyone. Sorry about the longer wait between chapters these days, but I'm doing stuff for once…working, getting my passport, looking for a job…the usual.

Disclaimer: Aren't you tired of reading this? I don't own Inuyasha.

* * *

****

Under Control

****

Chapter 6: Fading Memory

"Kanna." The tiny girl silently stepped towards her beckoning master. As she held the mirror up to his impatient gaze, he subconsciously began to grip the arms of his makeshift throne so tightly that he left clear claw-marks in the wood. "Enough." She bowed and exited the room as quietly as she had entered it.

Naraku closed his eyes in concentration, trying to restore his usual level of calm. The task proved to be unacceptably difficult; his mind kept returning to the moment that he had gotten the report from a now-deceased Saimyoushou. Kikyou had failed.

Well, in one sense she had. True enough, she had delivered the message he had given her, but she had not succeeded in undermining the strength of the group as a whole. Her attempt to steal the inuhanyou away had, if anything, made their bond even stronger. And to make matters worse, they still would be unable to find their way into his carefully laid trap – as their intended guide was now…indisposed. When he had looked in the mirror just now, he had seen the group of shard hunters doggedly continuing on their way to search for him. Nothing worthwhile had been accomplished.

Worthwhile….killing Inuyasha would have been worthwhile. Getting rid of that stupid little miko would have been worthwhile. Or even just driving a rift between the friends….but no. Nothing worthwhile.

It was almost humorous, but now he had to practically _invite_ them to his castle. How annoying. But what could possibly get them to come? Ah. That was it. The chance to catch his new toy _outside_ of the castle. Somewhere that they would consider 'safe' – as opposed to the castle where he had the advantage. And the best part of the idea was, he didn't even have to let the woman leave the grounds. A decoy would serve equally as well. If there was one thing he knew, it was that humans were terrible gossips. After all, how else did that infuriating group find half of their shards? By following rumours.

This would be no different. The humans would do his work for him.

He concentrated for a moment, summoning Kagura to him. A few minutes later she appeared before him. He looked her over appraisingly…yes, she would do. Similar build, same colouring, same height…good enough. As for the clothes…hmm. "I have a job for you."

"Yes, Lord Naraku." She bowed, hiding her eyes from him. He smiled inwardly – she tried to hide her dislike of him, but it was so…obvious. And this request wouldn't exactly endear him towards her. But it would be a fitting revenge for the times she had attempted to gainsay him. He took his time describing what she was to do, enjoying the look of enraged disbelief that she wore. Extremely satisfying.

Kagura could hardly believe her ears. He wanted her to _what_?! She was about to protest (and loudly) when a slight flexing of his right hand caught her attention. A subtle reminder that he held her heart in his hands, to do with as he pleased. She swallowed her complaints with an effort and obeyed. What choice did she have, after all?

* * *

Kagome was fast running out of patience. Ever since they had started traveling again, Inuyasha had gone back to his old habit of not saying a word to her. It was getting old. Besides, she wanted to talk about what had happened with Kikyou a few hours ago. The fact that Kikyou was gone was kind of hard to take in. Talking about it would probably help…if he would only say _something_ other than 'Feh' and 'Keh'!!

This war of monosyllables was getting on her nerves.

Every time she started to say something, he would immediately come up with one of those oh so witty comments, and she would subside once more in temporary defeat. She didn't really understand why he was doing this – after all, Kikyou was gone, there was nothing separating them now. Right? She was one soul again…she experimentally tapped into her miko senses, reveling in the increased power at her command. Who would have known that she would get so much stronger when that missing piece was restored to her? She imagined it might be like what Inuyasha felt when he returned to his hanyou form after being human once a month. Like waking up after a deep sleep. Everything was clearer, sharper, louder…and it was difficult to remember what the old way had been like.

She shook her head, annoyed. Her thoughts were drifting away from the real issue here. "Inuyasha?"

"Feh." That was it. Enough of these games…time to get some answers.

"Sit!" Whoops…she had forgotten that she was still riding on his back! Down they both tumbled, Inuyasha landing facedown in the dirt, with Kagome not far behind. She quickly picked herself up and dusted herself off as best she could – the idea was to get the hanyou on the ground, not her! Once she had gathered her momentarily scattered thoughts together, she turned to face the still-subdued Inuyasha. True to form, he was muttering unmentionable words into the soil beneath him. Any minute now he would get up, and her opportunity would be wasted. Well, not this time!

"You're doing it again." No reply. "You're ignoring me." Nothing. "You won't even look at me!"

"Well," the low growl startled her a little, "that would be because some idiot planted my face in the ground." She blushed for a moment – it _had_ been a little drastic. Argh! She had to focus…

"I don't mean right now, Inuyasha; I mean, _all day_ you haven't said a word to me except 'Feh!' Believe me, that gets a bit boring after a while!" To her amazement, he hid his head in the dirt again. Eh…was he actually _blushing_? When he was released from the spell, he rolled over and faced away from her, his arms crossed tight over his chest. "When I last checked, there wasn't a law against not talking. Who made you the boss around here?" Kagome was speechless – who made her the boss?…Well, there was one thing. She dashed around him and grabbed the rosary, shaking the beads in his face. "You keep ignoring me, and you'll be eating dirt until you look like it! Got that?" Inwardly she was slightly ashamed of herself at this – _forcing_ him to talk wasn't really what she wanted out of this. But he was being so stubborn!

Inuyasha's stomach felt like it was tangled up in knots. The last thing he_ ever_ wanted to admit was that he was totally, unavoidably, unbelievably nervous around the girl. All day he had wondered what he should say to her…but nothing intelligent had popped into his brain, so he had left it as it was. No sense in accidentally making things worse between them; and with his astounding luck, she would end up hating him by the end of the day. So he didn't say anything – it was much safer that way. Or so he thought. This little confrontation hadn't exactly taken him by surprise…but the 'sitting' had. And now she was rattling those damned beads right in front of his eyes! If her aim had been to get him mad, it was working. Make him eat dirt, would she? 'We'll see about that!'

"Kikyou would never have –" He stopped in horror. What was he saying? He'd wanted to take the words back as soon as he'd said them…of all the _wrong_ things to say, that had to be the worst! And now Kagome, his closest friend, was looking at him like he'd slapped her in the face. 'I should just cut out my damn tongue, life would get much easier…' He noticed the young miko gathering herself up to run away – but he wouldn't let her. He had to fix this. He took a deep breath – and jumped.

Kagome didn't care where she was intending to go; she just had to get away! It was her worst nightmare come true…even after she was dead (again!) that blasted Kikyou had a hold over Inuyasha. It was useless, she would never get through to him. 'Why do I even try?' She bolted. But before she'd even gotten ten steps away, an impossibly heavy weight thudded into her, sending her crashing to the ground. It knocked the breath out of her, leaving her powerless to resist the incredible force that had tumbled her to the floor. She felt herself rolling with the momentum of the blow, eventually coming to rest in a tangle of grass, twigs and leaves. She opened her eyes to see what had done this to her – she was more startled than anyone could say when she saw Inuyasha glaring down at her. He had pinned her arms to the ground and was holding her down with his own weight. "You're not getting away – "

"Inuyasha, let me go!" she yelled furiously. There was no way she was going to let him boss her around like that…not after what he'd said. It was unforgivable!

"Dammit, wench, would you just listen to me?!" He growled at her again, his eyes daring her to make a break for freedom. She knew the futility of that, and so she glared back up at him. "No."

"I – " Inuyasha suddenly looked around. Miroku, who had been watching the competition with great interest, now tucked Shippo up in his arms, beckoned Kohaku to come with him, and stood. Without a word he left the immediate area, carrying the loudly protesting kitsune with him. He was no fool; that look had clearly said 'Clear off, this is private.' And so he had 'cleared off' – he had no desire for Inuyasha to suddenly decide that houshi-hunting was his favourite new hobby. Which it would be if he had stayed much longer. Oh well.

Inuyasha grunted in satisfaction as the houshi and the kitsune made a rather hasty exit. He _was_ the boss of this group…and this mystifying little pain in the neck was going to see it, too. He turned his attention back to his captive; she was staring up at him, her blue eyes wide in apprehension. So, she knew she shouldn't have tried to run away. Good. "Now that I have your attention," he growled, "I _do_ have something to say." He sighed, letting his head drop slightly. "I'm sorry."

Whoa…back up a bit…what?! "Huh?"

He laughed heavily, but there didn't seem to be much humour in the sound. "You don't recognize an apology when you hear one? I said, _I'm sorry_." Inuyasha winced a little at the blatant disbelief in her face. 'Have I really been that much of a pig that she won't accept an apology now?' Well, considering how he'd been acting, it wouldn't surprise him. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to get rid of the melancholy thoughts that were running through it. 'You really did it this time, jerk.'

Kagome still couldn't believe what she had heard. An apology from Inuyasha? No way. Things like that just didn't happen. But his voice when he'd said it…maybe he did mean it? She tried to free one of her hands, huffing a little when he refused to release his grip on her arms. His eyes were still closed; he looked like he was arguing with himself again. Failing all else, she blew softly in his face to get him to look at her. "Hey." She fought the urge to giggle when his eyes snapped open, their expression unreadable. At first he seemed annoyed, but then…she didn't feel like giggling anymore. There was something almost frightening in those eyes – something that threatened to swallow her whole if she kept looking. She gulped. "Uh…"

"I'm sorry I mentioned Kikyou." He knew that was what had done the damage this time, just like almost every other time. "But did you have to shake those stupid beads right in my face?" It had been an inescapable reminder that he was bound by a human, powerless to rid himself of the 'sits' that had plagued him for years. He was already feeling guilty enough about causing Kikyou's death (or whatever it was that had happened – could you die twice?) without having the extra guilt from hurting Kagome like he had. That, coupled with the merciless stares the others had been giving him all day, had made him snap. He bowed his head, waiting for the inevitable question… 'Why?' He was a little surprised when it didn't come. It was quite silly, but he didn't want to open his eyes. He didn't want to see her crying again. So he waited.

Kagome looked up at him, a range of emotions warring for dominance in her mind. First was doubt – did he mean it? Then came amusement – his ears had twitched adorably when she had blown on them. But then…remorse. He had lost the closest thing to the woman he had loved today…and she'd yelled at him, reminded him of his limitation. That rosary. 'What right do I have to it, really? I don't own him, but it's almost like….a collar. A leash. I trust him, now, I – I don't need him to wear it…to keep me safe.' She bit her lip – if he wouldn't listen to her, there was another way. She reached her hands up around his neck.

"Wha -?!" He started at the feel of small, warm fingers fumbling at the hem of his haori. "Kagome, what are you…?"

"Hush. Trust me." She angled her arms around his neck, then lifted. Clinking faintly, the beads rose up around his ears and over his head. He looked down at them in amazement. "Kagome?"

"There. Now I can't shake them in your face." She grinned shyly up at him, and he remembered with a start that he was still…on top of her. Oh, he'd never live this down! He scrambled clear of her, trying without success to control the blush that he could feel rising in his face. 'Oh, great.' Now it was his turn to ask, "Why?"

"Because I don't think you deserve to have to wear them anymore." She swallowed – her throat had gone dry. 'What will he do now?' She watched as he slowly reached up to his neck to feel the spot where the heavy necklace had once rested. He didn't seem to be able to believe that it was gone. His eyes traveled down to focus on the rosary that she now held in her hands. Her hands were shaking. He frowned. "What are you scared of?" His voice was almost pleading, she realized. Why would he sound like that? "I'm not going to hurt you, Kagome. You…you do know that, right?"

Oh, so that was it. He thought she was scared of him… "Of course I know that. You've saved my life so many times I've lost count. Why wouldn't I trust you now?" But the mention of him saving her life reminded her of the incident with Kikyou. He had mentioned not letting Kikyou harm her…he had saved her by killing his resurrected lover. 'Does he regret that?' she wondered sadly. His next words shocked her back into silence.

"I'm not sorry for what I did." She held her breath. "I think…I would do it again, if I had to." Abruptly he leaned towards her, so close they were almost touching. "So don't you dare blame yourself for what happened. Don't think I don't know that's what you're thinking – it wasn't your fault." She sat as still as a statue, not daring to move as he reached up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She was mesmerized. "Thank you."

She somehow found her voice. "For what?" she squeaked.

"For the rosary…for not being scared of me…for trusting me." His voice, pitched low and soft, made her shiver. It was so...unlike him. He looked like he was going to say something else when a muffled curse had them both scanning the forest for a threat. Inuyasha sniffed the air, then growled menacingly. "That damned bouzu…I'm going to _kill_ him!" A few moments later a very sheepish looking houshi, a dazed looking boy and their small friend stumbled into the clearing. Miroku's eyes widened at the obvious threat in the hanyou's unblinking gaze. "Uhh…did I interrupt something?" Shippo was still rubbing his head gingerly – he heartily wished that tree roots weren't as solid as they were. That stupid Miroku had tripped in the dark, giving them both a wild tumble that they hadn't wanted to take. Ouch. Well, Kagome would take care of him!

"Kagome!" he cried, leaping into her arms. "My head hurts!" Inuyasha looked as though he would like to strange someone – anyone, didn't matter who. The cub, for instance…but a warning look from Kagome made him sit back in resignation. Revenge would have to wait. 'Hang on…no rosary!' He looked over at the pair, a feral gleam in his eyes. Kagome saw it, and gasped. How to save the kitsune…oh. She quickly tugged the baby youkai into her lap, encircling him protectively with her arms. 'That's it, Inuyasha…to hurt him you have to hurt me. Still game?' she thought triumphantly. He stopped short at the scene – there was no way he was going to do something to hurt Kagome…ah, dammit. The cub had won again!

He clenched his fists inside the sleeves of his haori. This interruption was unbearable…things had just been getting interesting – his thoughts broke off quickly. Interesting? Ugh, he was turning into a lecher as bad as Miroku! But still…he stood still, remembering how Kagome had felt in his arms. Soft, and warm, and small… 'Snap out of it!'

Miroku coughed softly into his hand. Not that it wasn't enthralling to see his friends finally sorting this mess out, but time was passing. Time they didn't have. "If you're quite finished," they turned to face him, both charmingly red-faced, "would you mind if we kept going?" He started walking, satisfied when they followed. Ordinarily they would stop for the night, but the circumstances were anything but ordinary. Who knew what Sango was going through while they were hanging around here? He glanced down at the solemn-faced boy walking beside him. 'I wish I knew what he was thinking.' They trudged on in silence.

* * *

Sango tossed restlessly upon the lumpy bed her master had given her. No matter what she did, she couldn't get to sleep…it felt like someone had stuck a pin in her back! It really was frustrating. It was as though a sliver of glass was stuck inside her skin, half in and half out. Argh!

She rolled once more, feeling something rip free. Curious, she lifted herself up to see what that annoying thing was. Her eyes darted around the darkened chamber, finally settling on the darkly glimmering piece of crystal that lay upon her pallet. 'What is this?' Suddenly ferocious pain assailed her, making her gasp out loud in agony. "My head! Ahh…not again!" Memories flooded into her mind…and her door flew open with a bang, making her jump involuntarily.

Naraku had felt the abrupt absence of power from the jewel shard he had put in the girl, leaving immediately to see what had happened. This was most unusual…this had never happened with the boy. He had to smile, though, when she turned a tear-streaked face up to him. "Master? What's happening to me?"

"Your enemies are trying to take your mind," he lied smoothly. "You have to fight them. I can help you, if you wish."

"Please," she whispered. Sango bowed her head as Naraku walked into her cell, placing his hand on her as he summoned his power. Almost straight away the pain was eased, and the foreign memories were gone. She sighed in relief, falling down onto the bed in an instant slumber. Naraku left the stone chamber, his thoughts racing madly. 'How did that happen? Why did the shard leave her?' He thought about it for a while, then sighed. 'Of course. The boy was dead. His soul _and_ his body had lost their energy…but even after I took her _spirit_ energy, her _body_ retained its own power.' The shard hadn't really been the key to his mind control…after all, he had controlled the boy long before the shard had been put into his body. No, the shard had kept his destroyed body functioning…but this girl hadn't needed it. He had been a fool not to remember that. There was also the fact that his newest warrior had been fighting his control – oh, yes, he had known. It was what made her such a good fighter. 

In the end, the loss of the shard's control was no great matter. It simply meant that her control would require slightly more effort on his part – a direct link instead of through the shikon jewel. Annoying, but manageable. He should have remembered that such a strong, pure soul would be able to push the jewel away. Fool.

But now, more than ever, she was in his control. A direct link to his mind. He would know her thoughts, her feelings…and she have no guard left against him. The perfect weapon.

He left the girl to her slumber. Her dreams were very satisfying, considering how close he could have come to having to kill her off…

__

A young boy who was laughing his head off as he watched the slaughter…

__

A silver-haired hanyou, callously ripping her father in two…

The dark houshi, sucking her family into his hand…an evil, devilish grin on his cursed face…

She would kill them. Her master would help her. She would destroy them all for what they had done.

Yes indeed, very satisfying. Now if Kagura did her job properly, the group of wanderers would come running right into this beautiful little trap of his. They wouldn't be able to help themselves.

And then they would die.

* * *

Aww, I/K waff! How sweet…but if you noticed, not everything got settled – they were interrupted, you know! So more _explaining_ is most likely in order…fun for upcoming chapters! And the whole shard thing…my story, my rules. Sango's mind is gone…what will happen?

Next Chapter: Accepting the Challenge.


	7. 7 Accepting the Challenge

To begin with…

Zero27: Another new reader! Glad you liked it.

LilyKitsune: Well, he'll find her eventually – hopefully not too much longer…I _hate_ waiting for updates, and so I don't like making other people wait either! Hope this wait wasn't too long…

Queen of Koorime: I will. Keep writing, that is. After all, I wouldn't just 'stop' right here – that would be cruel!

Jessica T: Hmm…all the pieces are in place for my planned ending. I think you'll like it!

Bikutoria: Yes, the 'mind link' was a last-minute brainwave – we'll have to see how it pans out. No worries about the e-mail, glad to!

Mattielover: The I/K moment _was_ sweet – nice and fluffy for all you fans out there *grins* me included.

Momentum: Good to see you again! Glad you approved.

Neoen: Ahh – you'll just have to wait! Suspense is my middle name! (Well, not really, but you get the idea…)

Megumi Sagara1: Miroku…yes, life is tough for him right now. But it will improve – at some point in the future.

Murasaki Kitsune: Yeah, the 'sits' were fun, but…well, what better way for her to tell him she trusts him? *Aww* Eh – TOMORROW?! *Falls over* Uh, not likely. I'm working! Maybe the day after…or a little longer…

Mvdiva: Missed replying to your review from Ch 5! Gomen. Yes, she was annoying but necessary. (Not anymore. Yay!)

Vampire-Elf: Lots of people have agreed with you! I liked the rosary bit too (and it was unplanned in the beginning! I swear this story is writing itself without asking me for permission…)

A/N: Gomen for the long wait, minna, but a few things happened. Things like looking for a new job, doctor's appointments, FFnet not working (you know, 'this site is experiencing temporary overload' etc. Also, a touch of the dreaded writer's block! Oh no! But it didn't last long…so here we are! Enjoy.

Disclaimer: Only in my dreams…reality sucks. Don't own it.

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 7: Accepting the Challenge

The woman carefully kept her face free of any discernable emotion as the enormous weapon sliced through the air. 

"Hiraikotsu!"

The hut she was aiming at shattered. Villagers ran in every direction, looking fearfully over their shoulders at the black-clad figure that was now unsheathing a sword. The warrior raced forward in a blur of powerful limbs, attacking the fleeing people in a seemingly random fashion. She cornered one person by the side of a rickety old house. They looked up at her, quivering in absolute terror. "Wh – who are you?" The blade descended like a bolt of lightning, embedding itself deep into the wood beside the captive's head. The woman looked down at them, unblinking.

"My name is Sango."

She delivered a quick blow to her victim's head, knocking them unconscious. Looking around calmly, she noticed that amongst the bodies lying strewn across the ground, a few people were moving slightly in the dirt. So, a few witnesses remained. Good. Rumours didn't work without witnesses. She sheathed her sword in one fluid motion, striding out of the destroyed town. She still had work to do – and the name of Sango was now a name to be feared.

She was sure it wouldn't be long now.

****

* * *

Inuyasha was slowly going crazy. If he had thought that staying around this group was hard before, it was impossible now. And for one reason.

He just didn't know where to look.

He fought to control a blush that threatened to creep up his cheeks as he remembered that little 'moment' last night. She had removed the rosary. He still couldn't quite believe it. Haltingly, he raised one hand to feel the empty space where that necklace would have been. He grinned yet again when his claws met thin air. Nothing. The grin faded as his thoughts continued. 'Why did she do that?' Of course, he knew one reason. He had accused her of being scared of him, and so she had responded by showing him in the best way she knew that she trusted him…by removing the beads that had once kept her safe from him. To place such trust in a mere hanyou – it astounded him.

Well, that was one reason. But there was another possibility. And this possibility scared him to the depths of his soul. It was kind of silly, he knew, but he had come to regard that stupid necklace as a kind of bond between the two of them. As much as he disliked the spell, it had connected him to her with an invisible cord. And now…she had broken the connection. The one tangible link that they had. He just couldn't shake the fear that it was her way of saying that she didn't _want_ to be bound to him any more. And that was why he just couldn't look at her. He didn't know what he would see.

Would he see simple friendship? Or would he see…what he wanted to see?

Kagome watched as Inuyasha sat up in a tree, just as always. He was shaking his head, muttering to himself, and steadfastly refusing to look in her direction. Again. Wasn't his not looking at her what had brought on that fight last night? And here he was, doing it again. It was as though he was _looking_ for a fight!

He had told her that he didn't regret what had happened to Kikyou. She so desperately wanted to believe him, but…he wasn't looking at her. He had pretty much refused to talk to her ever since Miroku, Kohaku and Shippo had blundered back into the campsite. Was he reminded too much of Kikyou when he looked at her now? Her copy was dead, the souls released from their prison, and all he had to remember her by was Kagome's appearance. Was _that_ what had made him act so unusually last night? Oh…he had said her name. 'Kagome'. But she just couldn't be sure of what his thoughts had been. She sighed, absent-mindedly petting Shippo's hair with one hand.

Shippo looked up at her when he heard her sigh. He didn't like the way his 'mother' was acting today. Last night, when they had made the mistake of 'interrupting' the pair (he still cringed at the look that the hanyou had given him) things had looked rather promising. He had thought that maybe Kagome and Inuyasha had gotten around to admitting what the rest of them had seen ages ago. That they loved each other. It was a good thing that that undead miko was out of the way, or matters would be terribly complicated right now. But then, perhaps part of the problem was that Inuyasha had killed her in the end. He twisted around in Kagome's lap, guiding her fingers to his ears. He loved getting his ears scratched. Purring slightly, he thought about the problem a bit more. No doubt the hanyou was feeling guilty for what he had done – it was only natural that he would. Shippo frowned. 'Solving this mess is going to take some doing.'

Inuyasha couldn't take it anymore. He heard Kagome sigh, he saw Shippo frown, and he couldn't escape Miroku's blandly grieving expression. He had to get away – NOW! He leaped lightly from the tree and walked over to the houshi, nudging him with his foot. "Oi, bouzu…look after these guys." He had only taken a few steps into the forest when Kagome's voice rang out, making him stop in an instant. "Where are you going?"

"Er, I – " 'Think, idiot, think!' "I'm going to check out the villages around here." 

"Why?"

'Dammit!' "To – to look for shards!" he blurted out. And in a whirl of red and silver, he was gone. Kagome looked at the spot where he had been standing just a moment ago, her mouth slightly open. "Sango is in Naraku's hands, and he's looking for shikon shards? Who does he think he is?" Her voice rose as she spoke, showing just how irritated she was by the insensitive dog-boy. Miroku sighed, giving a rueful chuckle as he climbed to his feet. "He has been looking for shards for almost as long as we've known him – and certainly as long as _I_ have known him. We can't expect him to give up his old ways immediately. If there is the chance of getting a shard, then regardless of what he's doing at the time, he'll take it." He glanced around the area, returning his eyes to the girl on the ground. "I'm going to go after him, just to see where he's gone this time. Will you be alright for a little while?" He directed his question towards Kagome, not acknowledging Kohaku. The boy frowned a little and looked away. 

"Yes, yes, we'll be fine." She waved him off with one hand, shooing him away. "Go find Inuyasha."

He turned, still not entirely sure. It was more than a little unkind, but he didn't like the thought of Kagome and Shippo alone with the boy. "Are you certain, Kagome-sama?" In his mind's eye he saw Kohaku standing over Sango in the alley. If anything went wrong while he was away…well, he would never forgive himself, and Inuyasha would kill him. Simple. He jumped at the sensation of a pinecone connecting with his head. "What?" Kagome had another pinecone in her hand, ready to throw. 

"Stop being an overprotective houshi and _go_ already!" she said, grinning. "I told you, we'll be fine!" Smiling, he moved away. Of all the ways to get his attention… He stretched his senses to look for any trace of the hanyou he was chasing. No, not yet. He kept going, keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings. The last thing he needed right now was some youkai deciding that the houshi would make a tasty snack…

* * *

Kohaku watched Miroku leave without saying a word. He didn't like to talk much around these people – he had wronged them so badly, he didn't feel he had the right. It was a fact that he had been under Naraku's control at the time, but in his mind that was no excuse. A few times he had had the option of regaining his own mind, but he had refused. He had been too cowardly to remember what he had done. And because of that, Naraku had been able to gain control of his sister, his one remaining family member.

He would never forgive himself for allowing this to happen.

But he had to admit, being around people again – living, breathing, free-minded people – was wonderful. He recalled the absolute silence of his time with Naraku and his minions, and shuddered. Being alone again would feel just like being back there, with no way out. It would be too much to handle, he was sure. He would go insane. In the silence, he had too much time to think about what had happened in his short life. He would see his father, his friends, and his sister, time and time again, powerless to stop the memories. He would do anything now to not be alone and let the memories in.

He looked up sharply when the girl called Kagome climbed stiffly to her feet. Apparently she had noticed his look, because she smiled at him in an attempt to reassure him. "Don't worry, Kohaku, I'm just going to that stream to get a drink. I'll be back in a minute." She pointed vaguely at where she was headed and then walked away. The strange little kitsune creature followed her, chattering at the girl non-stop. As he watched them go, fear rose up in him, thick and heavy. Before he knew it, he was running to catch up to them. They were leaving him alone!

Kagome was laughing at something Shippo had said when a figure rushed up to them. She barely had the self-control not to jump in fright when she saw that it was Kohaku who had joined them. He had noticed her flinching gesture – his head was hanging low in apology. 

'You knew she would be afraid of you…you tried to kill her once…but…' His thoughts broke off as the girl spoke. To his amazement, she was smiling. 

"Did you want to come along? Well, why didn't you say so? Of course you can!" He watched her, eyes wide in surprise, as she continued walking towards the water. He was dumbfounded by her response. He hadn't really spoken to her since he had joined this odd band of friends – he could remember all too clearly the sight of her blood…an injury he had caused. But maybe…she might talk to him? The silence lately had been deafening. There was only one way to find out, he thought.

"Ka – Kagome-sama?" The soft voice at her shoulder caught Kagome by surprise. This was the first time he had initiated any kind of conversation with her! To tell the truth, she had been a little hurt that he had been studiously trying to ignore her. She turned her head towards him, smiling to try and put him at ease. He was obviously terribly nervous. "Yes, Kohaku-kun?" She grinned as he started at her use of his name. He clearly wasn't used to being called 'kun' by anybody. "Did you want to say something to me?"

He swallowed. "Y – yes, I did. I mean, I…um…" He clenched his fists in frustration. Why was this so hard? He tried again. "Thank you for letting me come." It was obvious that she had missed his meaning when she waved away his thanks.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I don't like getting left alone at campsites either." Well, that had been part of it, but it wasn't exactly what he had meant. He stopped walking, forcing her to do the same. "I meant, thank you for bringing me…to find Ane-ue. I – I don't deserve it, not after…everything." He watched her cautiously, waiting for her reaction. Surely this reminder of his deeds would cause this friendliness to disappear… "Kohaku-kun, none of us would have stopped you from coming to find Sango. You're her brother, of course you would want to come. Besides, if we hadn't found you, I'm sure you would have tried to save her anyway, wouldn't you?" She smiled knowingly at him. "It's really so much better to do these things with friends to help you along."

"Friends." He thought for a second. Then he resumed walking, catching her by surprise. "I don't have any friends here." She frowned for a minute, puzzling his comment out. 

"I don't know about that, Kohaku-kun. Inuyasha and Miroku would do anything to help you find Sango, you know."

"They would help her…they wouldn't help me." He was astounded at how bitter his voice sounded. It wasn't as though he had done anything deserving of friendship from these people. "The houshi…he can't even look at me. He doesn't trust me at all. And the hanyou – I'm not sure about him. But – Houshi-sama…he, uh," he stammered. He wasn't quite sure how to phrase this without sounding blunt. To his amazement, Kagome solved his problem for him. "He loves your sister? Yes, he does."

"I can understand why he would hate me, then. I'm the reason she was captured by Naraku."

"He doesn't _hate_ you, Kohaku-kun! None of us do!" She jumped back a step when he rounded on her, his eyes flashing.

"_I tried to kill you!_ I can remember it as clear as day! I – I hurt you." His eyes fell to her arm, unknowingly searching for any sign of the injury he had caused. "You _should_ hate me…even more than the others. What I did, it was – "

"Not your fault." She cut him off softly. He started when she laid a hand on his arm. "You're just a kid, Kohaku-kun. Nobody would expect you to be able to fight off such a powerful master as Naraku can be. You couldn't control your actions, it's not your fault. Understand?" He looked up into her blue eyes, wondering at the compassion he could see in them. It had been the last thing he would have expected. Especially from a former target, someone he would have once destroyed without a second thought. 

"Listen to me," Kagome said seriously. "I know I can't really speak for the others, but I don't hold your past against you. As far as I'm concerned, it's over. All of us here have pasts that we would rather forget – and that makes you no different from the rest of us. It's one of the reasons why we travel together…none of us are perfect, and none of us are better than the others. And now that rule applies to you as well. We all have our faults, but we try to overlook them as much as possible. You're part of it, too." Her eyes bored into his, trying to make him understand. The poor kid looked so lost, just standing there.

"So I don't want to hear you say anything like that again." She crossed her arms, raising one eyebrow in a passable imitation of Miroku. "Okay – now say something else." He looked at her in confusion. What did she mean by that? 

Shippo, having stayed conspicuously silent through all of this, decided to add to the conversation. After all, it didn't sound quite so serious now. "Say something! Anything! Talk about…er, the weather, or…the food, or…" He wracked his little brain, searching for something that the bemused boy could talk about that didn't involve mind control, or Naraku, or the boys' attitudes towards him. Come to think of it, it wasn't that easy to do. Hmm…

Kohaku couldn't believe his ears. He was…forgiven? Just like that? Impossible. He should have died for what he had done! But…now he was expected to make conversation. He thought hard. It was a long time since he had done this. Suddenly, he grinned. The expression on his face brought a smile to Kagome's own. 'I've never seen him smile before…'

"Why did the inuhanyou fall down when you said 'sit' to him?" She chuckled – at least it was a start.

"First of all, his name is Inuyasha. Not 'the inuhanyou'. And as for the 'sit', well, it's a long story…" And she proceeded to relate the story to a most amused young boy, who couldn't help but laugh at the thought of a powerful hanyou being subdued at a word. The trio sat together by the stream, whiling away the time by listening to Kagome tell the story of how she had met Inuyasha. For the first time in ages, he felt whole again. And best of all, he wasn't alone.

* * *

Miroku's feet were beginning to hurt. He had no idea how far he had walked in pursuit of Inuyasha, but he was sure it would amount to a good many miles in the end. He groaned wearily, reaching out once more to try and pick up some trace of his friend's aura. To his surprise, he found something this time. 

"Inuyasha, I don't care if you don't like the idea or not – you are carrying me back," he muttered softly.

"No, I'm not."

"ACK!" Miroku jumped, bringing his shakujou up to defend himself instinctively. "Inuyasha, I think I'll live longer without you giving me a heart attack!" He rubbed one hand over his thumping heart, trying to calm down. "And yes, you are."

"Feh."

"I mean it! Do you know how far you've come? It's ages back to the campsite!" Inuyasha glared at him angrily.

"And just _who_ is looking after the others right now, bouzu? You're not going to tell me you've just left them there with no guard, are you?" Miroku gulped. In his determination to find the missing hanyou, he had forgotten all about the people he had left behind. 'If Sango were here right now, I'd be dead."

"Sooo…er, heard of any shards yet?" Miroku quickly changed the subject, hoping to distract the irate hanyou from his error. To his amusement, it was Inuyasha's turn to look slightly abashed. 'Oh-ho, what have we here?' The houshi glanced around, looking for a place to sit. Inuyasha wasn't going to get out of this without a good talking-to, he was certain, and damned if he was going to stand up any longer than he had to! He sat down on a tree stump, laying his shakujou down beside him. "Well?"

"Do you see any villages around here?" Inuyasha demanded, waving one hand around to indicate the deserted forest around them. "It's kind of hard to pick up rumours of shards when there are no people to talk about them!" Miroku just looked at him.

"Oh, alright. I wasn't looking for shards. Happy?" he growled. 

"Then why did you tell Kagome-sama that you were going to look for them?" Miroku asked quietly. 

"That wench is too nosy for her own good! I don't have to tell her everything!"

"Inuyasha…"

"It was the only thing I could think of!" Inuyasha flopped down onto the ground in apparent defeat. "Don't you ever want to run away from all those women, Miroku?" Inuyasha blinked. 'Idiot, you're talking to the lecher! What kind of question was that?' 

"So you're running away."

"No!" The stubborn hanyou folded his arms in a huff. "I just get sick of hanging around you humans all the time, that's all." Miroku sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. Time to try a different approach…

"So, Inuyasha, when should we expect the pups?" he asked slyly.

"WHAT?!"

"Well, judging by what I saw last night – " Miroku suddenly found himself on the ground, with one very angry Inuyasha standing over him, snarling. "Don't even think it, hentai."

"Then what _did_ happen? It looked pretty cozy to me," he grinned. His eyes widened as Inuyasha's hand shifted seemingly of its own accord to rest on his neck. "You can't be serious."

"Huh?" Inuyasha glanced down and noticed where his hand had drifted to. "Oh…yeah. She took it off." He grinned then, showing his fangs in a gleeful expression. "No more 'sits'." Miroku watched curiously as the grin faded from Inuyasha's face, to be replaced by…worry? 

"No more link." The words were so soft, Miroku wasn't quite sure he had heard correctly. He looked up at his friend, one eyebrow raised in inquiry. "Why did she do it?" Inuyasha growled.

"I don't know." Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably. This conversation was going on a bit too long for his liking. "What will you do when we find Sango?" The question caught Miroku completely by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"What if she's like Kohaku was? What will you do?" Miroku sat up, his eyes suddenly looking beyond the forest. He couldn't imagine seeing Sango like that…a mindless puppet, controlled by his hated enemy. He couldn't allow that. "I will do what I have to."

"Will you be able to fight her if she attacks you?" Inuyasha was serious; Sango had spoken so many times of her intention to put Kohaku to rest…it was possible that the same thing would now have to be done for her. Miroku gritted his teeth, trying to speak calmly. 'Of all the questions he could have asked…'

"Inuyasha, do you regret what you did to Kikyou?" Inuyasha glared at him.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer me. Do you?" Inuyasha hung his head, not really wanting to answer.

"No."

"Do you wish that someone else could have done it?" His head snapped up, amber eyes glowing.

"She was _my_ responsibility!"

"Exactly. And Sango is mine." Inuyasha stared at him. "I did this. I have to undo it as well. So…promise me you won't interfere. Inuyasha?"

"Feh."

"I'll take that as a yes." Miroku stood up slowly. "Well, we'd best get to the nearest village." Inuyasha looked confused for a second.

"You did tell Kagome you went looking for shard rumours. It will look bad if you come back without actually having looked." Inuyasha grimaced.

"Couldn't we just say we did?" Miroku's expression was shocked.

"You would _lie_ to Kagome-sama? _I_ would never do such a thing. After all, I'm a houshi!" The hanyou shook his silver head exasperatedly. What a hypocrite.

"Well, come on then, bouzu."

"Houshi!"

"Bouzu!"

"Houshi!"

"Feh." 

* * *

Another day, another village. 'This is getting boring,' the warrior thought. As per instructions, this village was slightly closer to Naraku's castle. The trail of destruction that she was leaving would be sure to draw her quarry to her very soon.

She grinned inwardly as she reduced another house to a pile of rubble. Outwardly, of course, she was as inscrutable as any mindless drone ought to be. Yes, her quarry would come soon. The name of Sango would bring them out into the open, and the trap would be set. She could hardly wait. Pitiful little villagers weren't much of a challenge, after all. All they did was run and scream – not that it helped them. 

It would be a relief to fight real warriors again.

* * *

Oooh…who is the warrior? Guessed yet? Not much action here, sorry. More next time! Until then, don't forget to review!!! I really appreciate it.

Next Chapter: Repeat Performance.


	8. 8 Repeat Performance

Hey guys, me again. One question – should I keep doing these shout outs or reply by email? It's really beginning to take up a lot of space! That and some people may find it annoying…well, let me know! Don't want to tick anyone off…but don't stop reviewing! It's the high point of my day to read the reviews! Love you all. For now I'll stick to the usual drill – shout outs here we come! 

Mvdiva: I wouldn't want to be Miroku right now either…ouch.

Zero27: Thanks! I was a bit worried about that chapter…

Mattielover: I love him too! Poor kid, he deserves to have _something_ nice happen to him.

Megumi Sagara1: Not necessarily…but anything's possible!

Bikutoria: She'll probably snap out of it eventually. I liked the rosary story too. *Evil chuckle* Angst! Ahhh…. He knows he only hurt her arm, he just can't forget that he even _tried_, especially since she's being so nice to him. 

Vampire-Elf: Bingo! You guessed it. I'm impressed. You liked the boys' conversation? Yay! That bit was soooo tricky.

Akikaze no Uta: There's a reason she's so sinister…picked it up yet? I know it's marginally slow, but I really don't like stories where everything is solved all of a sudden. It's just _not_ realistic…

Murasaki Kitsune: Soon, I promise! And I thought the argument was good fun, too. I'll hurry, really.

A/N: Hold onto your hats, people…this one is going to be _fast_…

Disclaimer: Nope.

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 8: Repeat Performance

"Well, we're here. Now what?" 

"Ask around, I guess." The boys looked at each other, shrugged, and started walking down the main road that led through the little village that they had stumbled on. Miroku was beginning to regret his idea of actually looking for shard rumours rather than just going back to camp. For one thing, their friends were still back there, relatively unprotected while in the middle of a forest. And for another thing…he hadn't really hunted for shard rumours before. Usually it was the dog-boy's job. He sighed, wrapping his hand even tighter around his shakujou as he walked.

He was tired beyond belief. Days of walking coupled with very little sleep will do that to you.

Inuyasha glanced around at the houshi's sigh, snorting in annoyance. So, the stupid bouzu was tired, was he? Well, it was his fault that they were in this mess. Of all the days to play 'righteous houshi', did he have to pick this one? They would be far better off back at the campsite, or on the road – looking for Sango. He growled, determined to just do an obligatory search for shard rumours, and then drag the ridiculous man beside him back to camp if necessary. They had better things to do. He turned his attention away from his friend, instead concentrating on the snatches of conversation that he could pick up around him. Nothing had stood out yet, but any information might be helpful.

Miroku couldn't help it. He stared. "Inuyasha, don't take this the wrong way, but your ears are going crazy!" Back and forth, back and forth they twitched, never stopping in one place for more than a few seconds. "I thought we were going to ask people about what they had heard…isn't that what you usually do?" The hanyou muttered something that Miroku couldn't quite catch, then pointed. 

"Do you see that? What does that tell you?" He was pointing to the crowd of villagers who were walking around the street. Only…they weren't really paying attention to what they were doing anymore. Rather, they were looking at the two strangers, their gaze resting mainly on the red-robed figure. Their expressions were a combination of fear, anger and mistrust. Groups of them had started whispering behind their hands, gesturing occasionally at the object of their discussion. Inuyasha.

"Do you honestly think they would tell me anything?" He laughed suddenly, a disturbingly bitter sound. "If I were to go up to them, they'd die of fright!" Miroku was truly dismayed at the depth of hostility that the villagers were showing to his companion. A thought struck him.

"But when we've gone to villages in the past, there haven't really been any problems. What's different about this place?" Inuyasha's eyes, if that were possible, seemed even harder.

"I was traveling with humans." Oh. "They accepted my presence as long as the rest of you were there." For a moment Miroku wondered what had happened to Inuyasha in the past when he had been in villages. If his attitude was anything to go by, his experiences with humans had been anything but pleasant. What had they tried to do? Run him out of town, throw stones, put curses on him…? His unhappy musings were cut short by Inuyasha's voice. "I generally just listen for anyone talking about unusual things happening…disappearing people, killings, anything that an attacking youkai would do." That said, he crossed his arms and resumed his task of listening to the people. Miroku knew that this was a clear sign that all conversations were now over. He resigned himself to silence and just kept walking.

Inuyasha noticed a group of ragged looking travelers taking shelter in the shade of a tree, and decided to wander over. From this distance they looked tired, and some of them were obviously wounded. As awful as it sounded, it was a promising sign. Refugees were often full of useful information. As fragments of speech drifted up to meet him, he froze.

"Entire village destroyed…"

"We only just got away!"

"So many dead…"

"Sango…"

'This can't be happening,' was his first thought. Sango was one of the most honourable people he knew, and would never allow this kind of carnage. But…these people were saying that _she_ was the cause. The very idea made him shiver. Beside him, he saw Miroku's face pale as he too picked up on the topic of the conversation. Inuyasha winced at the look that the houshi was giving him – his eyes begging the hanyou to tell him that he had heard wrongly. He forced himself to ignore the look, listening instead to the conversation that had caused such pain. An arm pointed northwards, and he heard the words, "two days".

He spun, taking Miroku's arm and dragging him along. So…the group had come from a village that was about two days' travel from here. The next step was to get to that village – or what was left of it – and work from there. "Miroku, we have to get back. We'll get Kagome and the boy, and start looking again." He frowned when the houshi didn't respond. "Miroku?"

Miroku vaguely heard the hanyou's voice, but he couldn't make out the words. He couldn't focus on anything but the cold knowledge that he carried. Sango had succumbed to Naraku. She was lost to them. He remembered the conversation that he and Inuyasha had had in the forest earlier.

__

"What will you do when we find Sango?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if she's like Kohaku was? What will you do?"

"I will do what I have to."

He heard Inuyasha speaking as though from a great distance, and simply let himself be pulled along. When the hanyou eventually ran out of patience and slung him onto his back, he gave no reaction.

He was numb.

It shouldn't have been possible, and yet the unthinkable had happened. Sango had fallen, and now it was almost certain that they would have to fight her. If she was attacking innocent villagers, then they had no choice but to stop her. He slowly fingered the beads wrapped around his wrist. 'Whatever the cost.' He didn't know if he could do it, but he knew he would never leave her in such a state. If there were a chance to get her back, he would take it. If not…

He swallowed hard, fighting the stinging tears he could feel pushing behind his eyelids. 'I can't think about that right now. We have to find her first!' He felt Inuyasha move, shifting his arms slightly as he turned to face up at his passenger. "Oi, bouzu, you okay?" Miroku nodded once, then held still. Inuyasha grunted, then took off into the forest, speeding back towards the campsite that they had left. They no longer had the time to sit around waiting. 

* * *

"Sango. You may stop for the night." Sango silently laid her sword down upon the ground, stepping off to the side of the training grounds. She was satisfied with the day's training that she had put in – at this rate she would be ready to face her master's enemies and defeat them. No harm would be allowed to come to her master.

Naraku watched the zombie-like girl in quiet amusement. She was the perfect weapon now – cold, emotionless, and fiercely loyal to him. After all, he had rid her of those confusing 'nightmares', and she was understandably grateful to him. She called him master, and obeyed his every word. He thought of Kagura, and sighed. 'If only all of my subjects were so biddable.' Naraku stood in that position as the human warrior entered her chamber to rest. Her thoughts were pleasingly blank while she was awake, but for some reason her dreams were troubling to her. He resolved to keep a light link open that night, to make sure that nothing 'untoward' happened that would set his plan back.

Sango shut the heavy door and laid down upon the bedding that her master had given her, blocking out all sound from around her. She had to get her rest, if she was to defend her master effectively in the next few days. As she fell into a deep slumber, the dreaded dreams began.

__

She watched as the young boy ran towards the grove of trees, knowing that she had to follow. As she moved away, someone caught a hold of her arm. "You mustn't go, Sango. You have to stay." A slight, blue-eyed girl gripped her hand with surprising strength for one so small. As she looked into those eyes, she felt her body lose all sensation – she couldn't move a muscle. The blue eyes gleamed maliciously, reveling in victory. As Sango stood immobilized, the first screams drifted over to her from the grove. Her family.

A silver-haired hanyou strode into view, blood dripping from his claws. Behind him, on the ground, she could see what was left of her father. The young miko beside her laughed – and then she heard the clinking of rosary beads. A gust of air ripped by her head, her hair blowing wildly in the current. She could only watch as the cursed houshi destroyed her mother and siblings, devouring them with the hole in his hand. The look on his face was cold, uncaring… When he was finished, he walked over to where Sango stood. She closed her eyes, waiting for her own demise. The clinking of beads sounded like bones rattling, making her suck in her breath in horror. But the gust of wind never came. Instead, a soft hand cradled her cheek – she could feel the beads pressed against her skin. Bewildered, she opened her eyes. The houshi was looking at her in concern, almost in…friendship? "Sango, you have to stay. Don't follow the boy. You have to stay." She looked at him, uncomprehending. 'Stay?' As she looked directly into his eyes, pain lashed through her head, forcing her to the ground. She dimly heard him kneel beside her, taking her hands in his own. "Please, Sango, you have to stay." Her head spun.

Evil houshi…kind houshi…enemy…friend…evil…kind…no!

The scream echoed throughout the deserted castle. Before it had even died out, Naraku was at her door, ready to perform some damage control. He had felt the disturbing trend that her dream had started taking, and he wasn't pleased in the slightest. She was stronger in the mind than he had given her credit for. Well, that would stop as of right now. "Sango. Wake up." Obediently she opened her eyes, heedless of the salty tears that had spilled over her face. "Come here." She rolled to her feet and walked over to him. He could see her fighting the urge to grip her head in pain. "They are trying to harm you again. We underestimated them. This time, they will not get to you." As he laid his cold hand on her head, he could see the gratitude in her otherwise dull eyes. He let his power flow through her, ripping down the defenses that her heart had raised against him. He smirked as every stray memory was erased, every trace of the past eliminated. He moved back as she fell to the floor. 

'That was too close,' he thought as he walked back to his own chamber. The control that he had over the human was more direct without the shikon shard, but it was not as constant. He had had his suspicions on this topic, but he hadn't been sure until tonight. Without the concrete presence of the jewel, her true memories were fighting their way back into her mind. However, as long as he was vigilant, his plan would come to pass. He allowed himself a quick grin at the thought. That idiotic houshi would be helpless against her – he might think that he could fight her, but he wouldn't have it in him to kill her. And he would finally die with the knowledge that his weakness had condemned both of them. Condemned him to death at the hands of his love, and condemned her to a life of knowing what she had done. Delicious.

Back in the sleeping chamber, Sango was no longer plagued by dreams. Her mind was as blank during sleep as it was during wakefulness. Her master had finally rid her of those painful mind invasions…and she could concentrate on defending him. No harm would be allowed to come to him.

* * *

"…and I stuck a statue on his hands and ran away! He was so mad – "

Kohaku was practically rolling on the ground with laughter at the stories his new friends had been telling him. Shippo particularly had him in stitches – that squeaky little voice just made everything sound so hilarious! He was still gasping for breath when Kagome suddenly sat up very straight, her merry eyes abruptly turning serious. "Youkai."

Kohaku stopped laughing, all business. "Where, Kagome-sama?" She shook her head in frustration. 

"I'm not sure, Kohaku-kun, but there is one nearby. Maybe two of them….I don't know." Shippo squealed in fear, burrowing into Kagome's lap for comfort. He _really_ didn't like fighting – and Inuyasha and Miroku were missing! What a time for both of their protectors to disappear…

"I need my bow and arrows! Come on, let's go." Kagome hugged the kitsune to her tightly and jumped to her feet, dashing away towards the campsite. Kohaku ran beside her, one hand resting on his sword hilt. Even so, they were completely unprepared for what came next. A white blur of movement swooped down towards Kagome, scooping her up off of the ground and carrying her back into the air. Kohaku, on the other hand, found himself confronted by the ugliest little youkai he had ever had the displeasure of seeing. "Where is the hanyou? Speak up, filthy human, or I will kill you!" The thing was shaking a staff at him, looking absurdly like a toddler with a stick that was _way_ too big for him. Kohaku had to stifle the insane urge to laugh as he dodged out of the way. He stretched out one leg in passing, knocking the annoying being to the ground, his eyes swirling. Kohaku raced in the direction that Kagome had unwillingly gone in –and narrowly avoided tripping over Shippo, who had fallen from Kagome's hold when she was snatched away. He bent down to pick up the cub, and continued running. "Shippo? Who is that?"

Shippo couldn't believe the awesomely bad luck they were having. Of all the days for the boys to be gone… "The toad is Jaken, and that – " he pointed at the white-clothed youkai that had landed more or less at the campsite – "is Sesshoumaru." Kohaku's eyes widened in disbelief. If he was remembering his youkai-history correctly, then… "That is the Lord of the Western Lands?" Shippo nodded, hastening to add some important information.

"Inuyasha's brother. Well, half-brother. They…don't like each other very much." Understatement of the year. Kohaku gulped. His first hunt had been a disaster, as they all knew…and this wasn't a very good start to his second. A youkai Lord. "Why is he here?" Before Shippo could reply, Sesshoumaru's voice rang out across the clearing.

"Where is the Tetsusaiga?"

"You expect _me_ to know?" Kagome yelled, struggling to get out of Sesshoumaru's one-armed grip. He glanced down at her, raising one eyebrow at her arrogantly. "So you don't know." It was more of a statement than a question. "Well, then, I'm sure Inuyasha will come for his favourite little human eventually." In the meantime, Jaken had recovered from his run-in with Kohaku's foot and had returned to his master's side, staff in tow. "We are leaving. The hanyou will find us in good time. Come, Jaken." He turned and made as if to leave – and found his way blocked in a most unusual manner.

Shippo saw the youkai turn as though he were leaving, and panicked. "We can't let him take Kagome – Inuyasha will kill us!" He tugged on Kohaku's hair urgently, getting the boy to stop. "Oi, how far can you throw?" The boy looked down at the youkai cub in his arms in confusion. "How far can I…throw?" 

"Yeah! How far?"

"Pretty far."

"Okay. Throw me at him."

"WHAT?!"

"Oh, come on! We've gotta catch him somehow!" Shippo swallowed – where was dog-boy? _He_ should be the one doing this stuff. Kohaku was still looking at him like he was crazy. He sighed. "Remember…you made me do it." And he bit Kohaku on the hand.

"Argh!" Kohaku reflexively lashed out, freeing his hand from those sharp little teeth – and watched in horror as the kitsune went sailing straight towards the inuyoukai. Sesshoumaru had time for just one startled look before the flying ball of fur landed right in his face, creating a very effective distraction. Kohaku suddenly realized that the demon lord only had one arm – and to get rid of Shippo, he would have to release his captive for a moment. He launched himself into a run. "Kagome-sama!" He watched as the girl fell to the ground, shaking her head dizzily. By the time he had reached her side, Sesshoumaru had reached up and flung Shippo to the ground in annoyance – coincidentally aiming him right at Jaken, knocking him once more to the ground. Kohaku drew his sword and prepared to defend his new friend with his life.

* * *

Inuyasha stopped in his headlong rush abruptly, jarring Miroku from his somewhat precarious perch on Inuyasha's back. The stunned houshi tumbled to the ground, unnoticed by the now unnerved hanyou. He sniffed the air suspiciously, then growled. "Sesshoumaru…" Miroku was understandably confused.

"What?"

"Sesshoumaru is at the camp." Inuyasha took just a moment to cuff Miroku up the side of the head, then took off running once more. "Stupid bouzu! You left them alone!" 

"So did you…" muttered Miroku sourly.

"I heard that!" Miroku sighed, then started running along behind his friend. After a few minutes they burst into the clearing that they had left behind them that morning – and stopped dead at the sight that met them.

Shippo lying a short distance away from Jaken, seemingly unconscious.

Kagome crouched on the ground at Sesshoumaru's feet.

Kohaku, sword drawn, standing over the girl with a grim look upon his young face.

Inuyasha lunged forward desperately, drawing Tetsusaiga as he ran. But before he even had the chance to swing, Kohaku made the first move. The boy stepped forward with all the grace of a professional swordsman, arcing his weapon towards his intended target. Sesshoumaru was forced, to his great annoyance, to leap backwards in a slightly undignified retreat from the lethal blade. He still hadn't quite recovered from getting a very angry kitsune flung in his face earlier. He frowned when Kohaku declined to push home his advantage, opting instead to stay by the girl he was protecting. 'Foolish human.'

Miroku watched in something akin to awe as Kohaku fought the youkai lord. He held himself like a trained samurai, his sword in a guarding position, eyes on the alert for any sudden moves that his opponent might make. He displayed obvious signs of the training that Inuyasha lacked. But then, the houshi mused, whatever the hanyou missed in finesse, he made up for with brute strength. In any case, this kid had undeniable style. And he was using every last trick in the book to keep Kagome safe.

Kohaku was determined that this youkai lord, Sesshoumaru or whatever his name was, was not going to harm the girl who had taken him in as a friend. He tracked his opponent's path with his eyes, shifting his feet every so often to keep from being disoriented. He didn't quite notice when the girl rose to her feet, or when she took the opportunity of edging away from the battle. However, he _did_ notice when a red and silver flash zoomed in front of him just as he was about to swing his sword…

Forgetting his previous shyness around these people, he yelled, "What do you think you're doing?!" He arrested his forward motion with as much speed as he could, narrowly avoiding giving the hanyou an impromptu haircut. "Watch it!" Inuyasha barely acknowledged him, all his attention on his half-brother. 

"Get Kagome out of here; I'll deal with this bastard!" Inuyasha roared angrily. Kohaku took that as his cue to get out of there. He backed away, keeping an eye on the girl who had suddenly stopped retreating. "Inuyasha!" Ignoring her cry, he pushed at her to get her to move. They had to get to safety – he had the feeling this battle was about to get ugly, and the hanyou didn't want the young miko in the way when that happened. 

Inuyasha watched the hasty retreat out of the corner of his eye, smirking in satisfaction when he thought they were far enough away. He glared at Sesshoumaru, anger practically sparking off of him. "Just what were you doing with Kagome, hn?!" He leaped into the air, bringing Tetsusaiga around in a massive sweep. Sesshoumaru dodged the intended blow effortlessly and drew his own blade, Toukijin. "Your fighting is as predictable as ever, Inuyasha. I would have thought you might have actually _tried_ to improve since last time." The dueling brothers circled each other, taking turns to test the other's defenses. But eventually, the inevitable happened. Inuyasha ran out of patience.

Kagome watched in horror from behind Kohaku's back as Inuyasha charged his brother recklessly, yelling a wordless challenge in his all-consuming fury. 'He's left himself wide open…' She knew Sesshoumaru would have no hesitation in killing her friend; he had to be stopped. But how?… Her frantic gaze fell on Jaken, still lying prone on the grassy floor. An idea struck her, but she needed a little help for this. A distraction…

"Shippo!!" The kitsune raised his head groggily as he heard his mother call out his name. The tone in her voice told him that she really needed him to come to her – right now! He shook himself to wake himself up a bit more, then dashed over to where she was standing. "What is it?"

"Can you do one of your transformations for me?" He nodded. Not wanting to give away the plan by yelling over the sounds of the fierce battle going on, she bent down and spoke into his furry ear. Kohaku was rather surprised when the cub gave a small giggle, then ran over to where the ugly toad-thing was lying. He watched with wide eyes as Shippo snatched up the staff that it had shaken at him, then jumped on the toad with apparent satisfaction. The youkai, who had been beginning to wake up, promptly fell back to the ground, senseless. Shippo glanced over to check that Sesshoumaru was sufficiently preoccupied, then put the plan into action. 

A few blows later, Inuyasha found himself flying off to the side, landing uncomfortably in some bushes nearby. He tried to get up again, and was mortified to find that he couldn't rise. The fight had taken too much out of him. He looked up in time to see Jaken sneak around to stand beside his master, who had stopped moving when Inuyasha was forced down. But…there was something weird about this Jaken…he smelt wrong…and his eyes – they were too big. Wait a minute!

"Kitsune-bi!" Jaken screeched, reaching out to touch Sesshoumaru's robes. Blue flames engulfed the hem of the garment, making the youkai look down in surprise. His astonishment grew when he saw, not his loyal servant, but a grinning fox youkai. "What?!"

That was it…the distraction she needed. Kagome forced herself to relax, summoning her still-unfamiliar miko powers to her. The energy flowed through her, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. In the instant that Shippo ran away from Sesshoumaru, she loosed the power building up behind her fingertips. 'This has to work…' A broad column of miko energy lanced out from her form, racing across the clearing to slam into the youkai lord and his retainer. The glow intensified for a moment, then vanished. The two intruders were nowhere to be seen.

Miroku shook himself out of his daze as Kagome fell to the ground, her eyes closed. "Kagome-sama!" All of a sudden he had an image of their group losing not just one, but two of their most precious members. He shuddered at the thought, and pushed such negative thoughts into the back of his mind. He reached out for her at the same time as Kohaku did. Miroku was startled to see tears in the boy's eyes – the sight of Kagome lying so still seemed to have shattered that apathy that he had been showing before. Not trusting himself to speak, he made sure that the miko was as comfortable as possible. Then he turned to find out where Inuyasha had ended up. The turn stopped abruptly when a battered-looking hanyou pushed past him, his amber eyes wide with worry. Miroku staggered for a moment, trying to catch his balance once more. That done, he watched the touching little scene unfolding before him.

Inuyasha lurched to an unsteady halt beside his fallen companion, falling to his knees as he grabbed for her hand. Her skin was warm, and he could hear her heartbeat pulsing strongly. Satisfied that she wasn't dead, just exhausted, he gathered her up into his arms, cradling her against him tightly. He rested his chin on her head, still unable to quite believe what he had seen. Kagome, standing in a whirl of light, blasting his brother and that sniveling little wretch clear out of the area. 'I wonder where they ended up…?' 

* * *

Sesshoumaru was not pleased. Not at all. How did that ridiculous little human do that? And to add insult to injury, he had landed in a most…embarrassing situation. He snarled a little, twisting his body roughly to try and free himself from the tree he had gotten tangled in. 'These robes are more trouble than they are worth…' "Jaken!"

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jaken asked, crawling to his feet. When he was upright, he looked around…and gasped. His master… A branch had hooked on the collar of his master's robes, leaving him dangling in a most undignified manner in mid-air! 'Oh, my…'

"Get me down."

"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."

* * *

When Kagome had still not awoken from her sleep after a few hours, Miroku could no longer force himself to wait around. Any plans for immediate searching, however, hit a snag when Inuyasha stubbornly refused to move Kagome from that spot. Well, it was fair enough, really – she needed to recover first. It turned out that Kohaku was as eager to find his sister as he was, so the two of them set off to discover her whereabouts. As it happened, Inuyasha (loudly) claimed that Shippo would be too much of a nuisance to have around while Kagome was unconscious, so the little youkai was forced to tag along as well. When the houshi had realized that this would leave the couple alone at the old campsite, a hint of the old lecher had shone through his grim façade. He had wagged his finger at the red-faced Inuyasha, saying, "Now, don't do anything I wouldn't do!" That had been followed by a somewhat rushed departure, with the hanyou yelling threats at the escaping houshi. It had almost felt like old times…

Now, a day later, Shippo suddenly stiffened and jumped down from his spot on Miroku's shoulder, sniffing the air vigorously. "Hey, guys, I smell something burning. It's coming from over there!" He pointed in roughly the right direction, his eyes wide. 'It's big, whatever it is…'

Miroku scooped him up once more, setting off at a run. He was pleased to find Kohaku hard on his heels, determination written across his young face. The houshi had finally accepted that the boy would be a powerful ally to have on their side, regardless of his past. The battle with Sesshoumaru had taught him that the lad was trustworthy – much to his chagrin. He sincerely regretted his treatment of the boy.

A town came into view, causing them to screech to a halt. The scene was one of utter devastation. Houses were burning, the flames roaring into the sky. Fallen people lay on the streets, their blood staining the ground dark red. Kohaku, to his credit, looked slightly sickened by the sight. 'Proof, if I needed it, that he isn't what he used to be…' A choked cry caught his attention.

"S-Sango!" 

His heart racing, Miroku sped towards the sound. He rounded a corner just in time to see a black-clad figure fling something that looked terrifyingly like Hiraikotsu at a fleeing villager. Kohaku tore around the same corner in hot pursuit, knocking into the houshi in his haste. "Oof!" He noticed Miroku's horrified gaze and followed his eyes to the object of his scrutiny. As the warrior launched yet another attack at the helpless villagers, his eyes narrowed. The way that woman was moving…

"Houshi-sama, that's not Ane-ue!" Miroku looked down at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean?"

"We trained together for years, I know the way she fights! And that's not her." Kohaku's voice left little room for doubt. Throwing caution aside, Miroku dashed out to meet the attacking woman, his hand clasping the protective rosary – just in case. As he got closer, the woman turned. 

She had red eyes.

"Kagura!" Naraku's minion spun around, her mouth forming a silent curse as she took in what was happening behind her. She analyzed the situation, and did the only sensible thing under the circumstances. She produced a feather and made her getaway, heading towards the mountain ridge that was clearly visible from the town. Naraku was not going to be happy…but at least she didn't have to wear this humiliating outfit anymore! She didn't understand how someone in their right mind would wear this as a uniform…

Miroku and Kohaku watched their erstwhile quarry leave, tracking her visually until she descended into the mountains nearby. The houshi sighed. 'Well, at least we know where she is, now.' And on the lighter side…Kagura had looked damn funny in Sango's demon exterminator suit. That memory would last a long, long time…

A tugging on his arm interrupted his thoughts. Kohaku was looking up at him. "What do we do now? That woman belongs to Naraku, so it must be a trap of some sort. That's the only reason he would go to so much trouble." He grimaced in remembrance. "He loves traps."

Miroku had to agree, but there was little choice left to them. "We've handled his traps before," he said, with slightly more confidence than he felt, "but we must find Sango! I don't care if he is waiting for us, it's no different than if we were finding him to get his jewel shards." He knelt down before the boy, looking into his eyes seriously. "I will do anything to find your sister, Kohaku. I don't care if it's a trap, we have to go. Ready?" Kohaku nodded, and the houshi stood once more, gripping Shippo tightly in his arms.

"We have to hurry. The more time he has to get ready, the less chance we have. Let's go." Without another word the trio headed into the forest once more – towards the looming mountain range ahead of them. Where a feared foe was almost certain to be waiting…

* * *

__

Oof! Long one. I wait in breathless anticipation for your reviews! Once more, kudos to Vampire-Elf on guessing who the 'warrior' was. Nice one! So, Inuyasha and Kagome are alone – ah ha! – at the campsite, and the boys are heading for trouble. Next chapter should be very, very interesting…so stay tuned!

Next Chapter: Friendly Fire


	9. 9 Friendly Fire

A/N: Woohoo! People, we have beaten the number of reviews for Choice and Consequence! Happy day for me! (And if you haven't read it yet, please do! I'd love to know what you think…) Sorry about the wait for this chapter, you wouldn't believe how hard this one was to write! Okay, no one said to stop the shout outs, so here they are!

Megumi Sagara1: Glad you like it, keep reading!

Bikutoria: I just have to say, thanks for reminding me of what's gone on in the manga! You give me some ideas of how to incorporate the storyline with my upcoming chapters, it's great! Don't play hooky too much, hey? Don't want you to get in trouble…

Zero27: That was quick! Thanks for the review – the fight will start, er, soon! Yeah, soon! Promise!

Mattielover: The end is nigh…that's right, not too much longer to go! So, not long before the big showdown *****grins* that you're all looking forward to so much!

Aamalie: Uh-huh, very hard to imagine! I practically fell off my chair when I wrote those bits (which would have been embarrassing, as I write on my laptop which is set up in the dining room – my family already think I'm nuts, that would just confirm it…) Some comic relief! Yay!

Mvdiva: Yup, I think Kagome's in for a bit of a shock. But remember…no rosary. So how will they handle this? Hmmm. Naraku will get his, don't worry. It just might be a little unexpected…

Jessica T: A review already?! Wow. Still no show, huh? Rats. Well, hope this makes up for it. I'm glad you (still) like my characters…as Kohaku's story goes on, he gets harder to write. At least I don't have to do quite so much work on Sesshy as in 'Choice and Consequence' – his part in this fic is over…Yup, I'm gonna leave him hanging (in a tree). Ha ha! And we both agree…Shippo rules! Go little fox dude, go!

Neoen: I should've known you would guess…FF.net has been causing problems on this side of the world, too. Grrr! I've lost count of the times I've been in the middle of a really good story, and then…nothing. 'Site is experiencing overload' etc. Argh! *ahem* Ok, rant over. Keep reading! And good guessing!

Mirsan4eva: Hello! Glad you came…eh? *Blinks* The best? I wouldn't say that…but thank you! I cracked up when I was writing it, too *lol*!

Akikaze no Uta: *Blushes* Thanks awfully! I love your reviews! Oh, yes, the humour was _very_ intentional. It is possible for a fic to get too serious – it needed a little tension-breaker. Plus, it just plain tickled my fancy! Sooo funny…

Wizardess Gal: You're back! You won't have to wait too long…I promise!

Vampire-Elf: I'm glad you like the way I've written Kohaku into the story – it was a key goal of mine when I started, so that's one thing I've done right! I just checked – I'm on your favourites list!!! Wow, thanks! (And to anyone else who has put me on their fav story/author list, thank you very much!).

Samster: Hello! I'm glad you like how it's going so far…shouldn't be too much longer now.

A/N: Fluff ahead! You have been warned…oh, come on! They're alone, at a deserted campsite – what did you think was going to happen? On the angsty side, Miroku and co. are getting closer to Naraku….and Sango…

Disclaimer: I read the manga on the Internet…do _you_ think I own it? No, I didn't think so.

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 9: Friendly Fire

Miroku wasn't entirely happy about it, but he had been forced to resort to using his precious shakujou as a walking staff on the uneven mountainside. The ground shifted beneath his feet, continually threatening to send him plummeting head over heels down the steep slope. All in all, that would be something of a backward step in his frantic search for Sango – not to mention, rather embarrassing.

Kohaku, sensing the houshi's tiredness, had offered to carry Shippo part of the way, and so had his hands full. It didn't really help his balance, but the cub's constant stream of conversation helped to keep tedium at bay. However, even the irrepressible youkai fell silent as they drew ever closer to their target. If their eyes hadn't deceived them, Kagura had descended into these mountains – she hadn't simply flown over them. Hence, Naraku's hideout had to be somewhere close by. If the forest itself was anything to go by, then it was a sure bet. The trees were clustered together in dense groves, letting very little light through the forest canopy. And most tellingly of all, they hadn't spotted one moving animal for the last few miles of their journey. The whole place seemed…dead.

With a gusty sigh, Miroku sank to the ground in exhaustion. Concerned, Kohaku walked up to him and slid into a crouch beside him, eyeing him cautiously. It just didn't seem right to him that the adult would be weaker on this trip than he was… "Houshi-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"Er," he fidgeted a little, "why do you want to find Ane-ue so badly?" 'And why are you so tired?' he wanted to ask, but he didn't dare. Miroku sighed again, but gentler this time. Somewhere in his mind he had known that he would have to explain what had happened to this boy, but he was still a tad reluctant to do it. After all, he didn't exactly come across in the best light in this story – a lecherous, unfaithful houshi. 'Oh well, best get it over with. He _does_ deserve to know, considering he's in this fight now too.'

"Sango is…very special to me." He winced – he was practically using the exact same words as when he had 'proposed' to her a few months back. "We – the five of us – have been traveling together for a long time, and we are all very close friends. But…your Ane-ue is different. I – " He took a deep breath. This was harder than it looked…no wonder Inuyasha had such trouble with the words.

"I love her." There, he said it. Kohaku's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. 

"What? Bu-but you're a houshi! You're not supposed to marry, are you?" Miroku had to suppress a chuckle at the boy's outraged expression. Of course, then Shippo had to butt in with his own spin on things. "He's not a very good houshi, Kohaku-kun. He breaks the rules _all_ the time." 

"Rules?" The poor kid looked confused again. 

"You know…no drinking, no swearing, no women – nah, he's not a very good houshi." Shippo darted out of the houshi's reach quickly, fearing that Miroku would try and beat him into silence, like Inuyasha did. But to his surprise, his words had the opposite effect on his friend. The young man had frozen in place, as still as a statue, his head hanging quite low. The overall picture was one of dejection, and Shippo couldn't really say that he liked it. He was about to take his words back, when – 

"Unfortunately, that's very true. I am a _terrible_ houshi. If I were a better kind of houshi, Sango would never have fallen into Naraku's trap. So you see, you have me to blame for this, Kohaku. But understand this." His head snapped up suddenly, and Kohaku nearly gasped at the fire that shone in those dark eyes. "I will do whatever I have to in order to get her back again. I don't care if I have to fight Naraku himself!" He glanced down at his sealed hand. "Well, actually, fighting him would be rather satisfying. It's been a long time in coming…" He drifted into silence, seemingly thinking about fighting his nemesis. Kohaku coughed lightly, trying to get his attention back. The houshi's head swung around to look at him, eyes rather distant.

"So you're a houshi who's in love with Ane-ue?" Miroku nodded. "Does she love you?" The innocent question had the same effect as a punch in the gut. Miroku had hunched over, his eyes clenched shut. 

"I – once she did." Miroku could still remember the joy on her face when he had asked her to bear his children. She had been so happy then…but the following months had changed all that. "Now I'm not sure." Kohaku cocked his head inquiringly.

"Why not?" This kid was making it hard for him without even knowing it…

"Like I said, I'm a terrible houshi. I don't have much willpower when it comes to women, especially pretty ones." Kohaku looked like he wanted to ask what on earth he meant, but he kept his mouth shut. "I love Sango" – it was getting easier to say that – "but – I have a tendency to fall back into my old ways." Shippo could see that the message wasn't getting through.

"He asks them to bear his child!" the kitsune blurted out. Kohaku felt himself beginning to lose his temper. 

"So you love her, you want to marry her, even though you're a houshi, but you ask _other_ women to be your wife as well? And that's why she left?" He could hear his voice rising with every word. Miroku, on the other hand, spoke so quietly that he could hardly be heard.

"Yes."

"I don't blame her for leaving!"

"Neither do I."

Kohaku had to pull himself back from the houshi when he felt his hand drift to the hilt of his sword. As just as it would be, he couldn't kill his one ally this close to Naraku's fortress. But what this – this _bouzu_ had done to his Ane-ue was unforgivable! Miroku saw where the boy's hand was resting and grimaced. Groaning, he got to his feet. "You have every right to do that, Kohaku, but it had better wait until after we have her back. We probably have a long fight ahead of us." He walked a few steps, then turned to face the kid. "I _do_ love her, though. Please remember that." Without another word, the houshi started hiking through the forest again. Kohaku scrambled to his feet, wanting to know one more thing.

"How long have you been looking for her?" Miroku didn't stop – he didn't even slow down. His voice drifted back to the boy.

"Since the moment you took her. I think it's been a week." Kohaku was perplexed. He couldn't remember how long it had been since his mission to capture Sango, but the distance from that village was huge! To have traveled that far in just one week…unthinkable. No wonder the houshi was tired.

'Maybe he does love her,' he thought. Shifting Shippo to a better position in his arms, he caught up to Miroku and walked beside him. 'Since the moment you took her.' The words rang in his head. There hadn't been any animosity in the houshi's voice when he said that – just regret, and…compassion? It was as if Miroku didn't hold it against him! His sister's friends were nothing short of amazing, he mused.

They had forgiven him, so maybe he could forgive this one as well? He nodded, still walking along. Yes, he could. They continued climbing in silence. 

* * *

Kagome lay motionless on the hard ground. Every so often Inuyasha would move as though to pick her up, to cradle her as she slept, but he would inevitably back away. He couldn't be sure that it was safe to touch her, not after what had happened that day. The girl hadn't moved an inch since she blasted Sesshoumaru away to goodness-knows-where. It was enough to drive a certain hanyou mad. 'It's been a whole day, and she still hasn't woken up!' He ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "Lazy wench!" But there was no real anger in his tone. In all fairness, he couldn't be mad at her.

He had never seen such an awesome display of power.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, seeing once again the remarkable scene that had played out in this very clearing. He had lost the fight – something which _still_ rankled inside him – and things had looked pretty hopeless. Then, a flash of blue fire had dazzled his eyes a little. Kagome had started glowing, and before he could even move a muscle, a rushing column of energy had struck his half-brother full on…lifting him and his little toad straight into the air. Sesshoumaru had barely even had time for one haughty glare before he was gone. Just like that.

It was hard to believe that such a frail-looking girl could have such incredible strength. But there was one thing of which he was certain – she hadn't had it before. It seemed that the effect of Kagome's soul reuniting was greater than they had all thought. Now she was virtually invincible.

This left very little need for a protector. What was he supposed to do now?

As he sat there, lost in his gloomy thoughts, he didn't notice that Kagome's eyelids had started fluttering. Her breath came quicker as she began to wake up once more. As she forced her eyes to open, the movement seemed to finally catch his attention. Almost without realizing it she braced herself for a thorough tongue-lashing – something along the lines of "What did you do that for, you idiot wench? You're too weak to fight someone like Sesshoumaru!" She was somewhat dumbfounded when he simply looked at her. His golden eyes were glittering with some emotion that she couldn't quite identify…it unnerved her. When he finally did speak, his words stunned her. "You don't need me anymore."

Okay, so that was…unexpected, to say the least. "Excuse me?" She had never heard him speak in such a depressed tone of voice! 'I don't get it…' He saw the confusion in her eyes and stiffened in anger.

"Feh! Didn't you hear me the first time, bitch? You don't need a protector anymore!" He looked as though he would like to rip something apart with his claws just then. "You just defeated a youkai lord by yourself! You don't need a worthless hanyou to look out for you now…you're strong enough on your own. So don't think you have to hang around or anything – because you don't!" He practically spat those last words out in his rage. He was angry with her, with the world, and he didn't care who knew. "You probably can't wait to get away from this place, so go already! We don't need you!" He abruptly turned his back on her and sat cross-legged on the ground, arms folded tightly across his chest. When Kagome still hadn't said anything a minute or so later, his heart sank. 'Now you've done it, you moron – she might actually leave you! What did you go and say all that for?' 

Kagome, meanwhile, had been greatly astonished by her friend's outburst. It would have been easy to listen to the anger in his voice and simply get mad in return…but for once, she didn't let her temper get the better of her. After all, she had had two years to decipher the unique emotional language of Inuyasha, and when she took that into consideration, his words made a lot more sense. It didn't stop her from wanting to roll her eyes at the furious hanyou, though. 'He's trying to push me away before I can decide to leave myself. That way he is still in control of what happens…'

"Do you really think I would leave?" she asked gently. No answer. Oh great, so now he was sulking. Perfect. "Is that what you thought I would do?" She was determined to get an answer from him eventually. Too tired to get up and force him to look at her, she extended one finger towards him.

Poke, poke. "Hey, talk to me."

Poke. "Hellooo?"

Poke, poke, poke. "Grrrr…" Aha! A reaction of sorts…

Poke, poke. "Argh! Quit it, woman!" To her delighted satisfaction, he twisted angrily around to glare at her. 

"You want me to quit it?" Poke. "Then don't ignore me like that!" He batted her finger away.

"Okay, fine." He shuffled around to face her again, a scowl on his face. 

"Alright…now why did you think I would want to leave you?" She blushed a little as she said it – well, it did sound a bit odd, but the main idea was there. Her eyes widened as his hand moved up to touch the place where the rosary had once hung around his neck. 'What does that have to do with it?'

"You're always in such a hurry to leave, even though you say it's for 'tests' and stuff," he began slowly. "But you always came back – and I think it was partly because that stupid rosary was here. It was a kind of…connection, I guess." He growled deep in his throat, letting her know just how upset he was. "And you took it off." 

"Inuyasha, you're not really making much sense…"

"But even without the spell, you would have needed to stick around for your own protection. And now you don't even need that! There's nothing holding you here. You aren't bound to me anymore, and you don't need me to protect you anymore, so why are you still here?" The last few words came out as a shout, startling the girl with their intensity. However, now she was getting mad.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Inuyasha! Anyone would think that you _liked_ getting 'sat'! I took it off because I trust you! I know you'd never hurt me, so I didn't need it anymore!" The angrier she got, the more she felt her strength returning. She felt about ready to run a sprint race… "Anyway, aren't you the one who keeps trying to send me away? Telling me to go back to my own time and stay there?! As if I would abandon my friends like that! It's just too bad that you want me to leave so badly –"

"No! I hate it when you leave – " Suddenly realizing what he'd said, Inuyasha clapped one clawed hand over his mouth in a panic. He'd let his feelings get the better of him…he tensed and jumped to his feet, ready to run. Kagome saw this and, to his surprise, she growled. "Don't you dare!" A crackling tendril of miko energy wrapped itself around his ankles, binding his feet together. If he tried to run now, he'd just fall flat on his face. Snarling in frustration, he tugged at their hold on him, trying to free himself – but to no avail. Kagome climbed stiffly to her feet, walking over to where he stood. "Fair's fair, Inuyasha."

She crash-tackled him, forcing the astonished hanyou to the ground. She smirked at him, very satisfied with herself. "Now you know what it feels like." He tried to move, growling when she didn't release him. Her smirk softened into a smile. "You don't really want me to leave, do you?" He sighed in defeat.

"No." With that one soft admission, Inuyasha felt his defenses coming down. He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable flip side to this situation. Wasn't there always something that could go wrong for him? 

He certainly wasn't expecting Kagome to relax against him, her arms winding around his neck as she hid her face in his shoulder. He froze for a moment, then hesitantly wrapped his arms around the girl. She lifted her head, her breath tickling his ear. "Thank you."

"Hmpf. What for?" he murmured. She shifted, bracing her arms on either side of his shoulders. 

"For saying no," she said simply. Then she grinned. "You really hated me poking you, didn't you?" 

"Feh. Of course I did, wench." She poked him, giggling when he tried to twist away. Wait…was that a laugh? Oooh…

"You're ticklish!" The grin turned evil. 

"No, I'm not! I'm…ah! No! Stop it! Argh – stupid girl! Cut it out! Aahh!" She laughed until tears filled her eyes, still poking him relentlessly. 'A ticklish hanyou – who would've thought it?' Suddenly his hands flashed by, catching her own hand firmly. 

"I said stop." His voice was so low it sounded almost like a purr. The sound set Kagome's heart thumping, and she remembered with a start just who was resting on top of whom. Oops. Smirking, he pulled her hand along, forcing her to move with it until she was practically lying on top of him. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire with all the blushing she was doing…her face was directly over his now…he was still pulling…she could feel his breath on her skin… he wasn't smirking anymore.

He tilted his head up to close the gap between them, closing his eyes as he kissed her softly. She was too startled to do anything more than kiss him back – still blushing. Too soon, she thought, he pulled back to look at her again. "I never want you to leave." She sighed contentedly, snuggling down in his arms. 

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying each other's company. Eventually, however, reality set in. They had a whole day of travel to make up if they were going to catch up to Miroku, Kohaku and Shippo – and Sango wouldn't be far off from them, if their guess was right. Kagome smiled shyly as she climbed onto Inuyasha's back once more, hearing him sigh as she wrapped her arms around him to hold on. Undoubtedly this newfound softness in his behaviour would disappear as soon as other people were around, but it was wonderful while it lasted. She soaked it up, loving every minute. All too soon his attention would be taken by the task of finding Naraku – but that was alright, because that was what she would be doing as well. For now, they had to find the boys.

* * *

Kohaku was the first to reach the crest of the mountain ridge, and he stopped to take a look around. He spotted something through the trees and beckoned for Miroku to join him. "It's Naraku's castle, Houshi-sama. It has to be – it's the only thing around here that I remember." At these words Miroku practically flung himself down the mountainside, barely dodging trees and boulders that stood in his way. A bemused Kohaku and an incredulous Shippo followed him closely. "Oi, Miroku, how come we're going so fast?" Shippo called.

'He can talk,' thought Kohaku. 'He's not even walking…'

"Sango is down there! We have to hurry!" The houshi continued crashing his way through the forest. The gates to the fortress were just becoming visible.

* * *

Naraku gazed at the young woman kneeling before him. "They are nearly here, Sango. Are you ready to face the people who destroyed your family?" He noticed the slight clenching of her fists as she answered, "Yes, master. What are your orders?"

"Go down to the gate and wait for them. Don't let any of them past you. My safety is in your hands." Oh, what a delicious twist that was! Protecting her mortal enemy…

"They will not reach you, master." She rose to her feet smoothly, striding from the hall to prepare for the fight that was coming. She was dressed in her battle outfit – for which Kagura was extremely thankful. It meant that she wouldn't have to wear it herself. Playing decoy like that had been plain embarrassing – and who wore clothes like that, anyway?! Ridiculous.

Naraku just smiled. 'Let the fun begin…'

* * *

Kohaku set the little kitsune down in a small clearing near the main gate. "You have to wait here, Shippo. We don't want you to get hurt today. Okay?" Shippo, predictably, pouted.

"I don't wanna stay here! I wanna help you guys! I helped against Sesshoumaru, didn't I?" Kohaku glanced down at his hand for a moment – the tooth marks were still there. 

"Yes, you did, but Houshi-sama and I are going to be very busy now, so you have to wait here." The boy sighed, knowing full well that you couldn't really stop a youkai from doing pretty much whatever it wanted. But that was beside the point. "Stay."

"Ahhh…fine!" Shippo folded his arms and started sulking. Kohaku just grinned at him and walked over to where Miroku was waiting. "He's going to stay here," Kohaku reported. The houshi nodded in satisfaction and resumed walking towards the fortress. The two of them halted immediately as the gates started to open. They peered into the darkness beyond, desperately trying to pick out their opponent.

Sango stood in the centre of the doorway, framed by the two outer doors. Hiraikotsu rested on her shoulder. Miroku thought she had never looked more beautiful. He fought the urge to simply run over to her, though – there was no telling what would happen. Too late, he noticed his partner racing towards her. "Kohaku, no!"

"Ane-ue!" The boy was overjoyed to see his sister again. But the look on his face turned to horror when the huge weapon sliced through the air toward him. It caught him in the stomach, flinging him like a rag doll to the side of the entrance. He coughed once, then fell still. Miroku only barely had time to think, 'Oh, please, let him be alive,' before Sango was advancing toward him, a cold gleam in her eyes. Her face was void of emotion, reminding him rather forcefully of the time that she had been possessed in the village of oni-women. She had been a formidable opponent then – what would this fight be like?

"Sango – I don't want to hurt you," he said sadly. She gave no sign of recognizing him as she drew the sword that was sheathed at her side. He gripped his shakujou, preparing to defend himself. And, if necessary, to end the torment of the woman before him. It would kill him…but he would do it. It was his responsibility. As the first blow fell, his question was answered. She was much stronger this time around.

* * *

The one you've all been waiting for! The fight! Oh yeah, here we go. No promises as to when the next chappie will be done, but it shouldn't be too long. So…who wins this one? You'll see.

Next Chapter: Outmatched


	10. 10 Outmatched

YES, I'M STILL ALIVE!!! Incredibly sorry for the huge wait, guys – I guess I've lost all my old readers by now. If you're still out there somewhere, I do have a good reason for the writing slump. My computer died in a big way, and it's been ages since I could retrieve this file. Now it's up and running, here I am once more. Hope the chapter was worth the wait….

Disclaimer: Alas, I still don't own this thing! Anybody who says I do is lying through their teeth…

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 10: Outmatched

Miroku was not having fun.

Most definitely _not._

Gulping desperately for some air, he rolled to the side just in time to avoid a powerful downswing from Sango. She somehow adjusted her stance so that the force of the swing turned her around to pretty much face in the direction he had gone, immediately coming after him like a predator to her prey. Sometime during the beginning of the fight, that emotionless façade had cracked, leaving a feral snarl on her face that astounded him. He could see it in her eyes – she hated him, really hated him. The feeling shook him to his very core.

It was pretty obvious that the person in front of him could no longer really be called 'Sango'. The Sango he knew would never have pressed an attack like that, would never have let such hate direct her moves in battle. It was a kind of rule she had – leave emotion out of things, because it clouded your judgement. That rule had clearly been thrown out the window, as Kagome was so fond of saying. And if his Sango was lost to them, as he feared she was, then it was his responsibility to put an end to this. 

But that would only happen if he could win this fight. And it was painfully clear that he was losing hands down.

He jumped back to avoid that viciously lunging sword, only to be knocked flat on his back when she hooked a foot behind his knees and swiped his feet out from under him. Before she could press her sudden advantage he scrambled backwards in a mad effort to get beyond her reach. 'I have to distract her somehow, I have to break that concentration!' 

Well, he did want to find out anyway… "What did I do to you?" She stopped in mid-stride, her sword held high above her head. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of a suitably furious reply. Miroku used the break to dart a few metres further away from her and then waited. What she said was not exactly what he was expecting. "You are a murderer, houshi. You can't tell me you've forgotten what you did." He struggled to fall into a defensive stance, even as his mind tried frantically to understand what was going on. A murderer? Well, next question…

"Who?" Come on, more than one word, you idiot… "Who do you think I killed?"

She practically spat the words at him. "My family! You and your _friends_ slaughtered them all right in front of me!" Mmm…that explained a bit. As he stopped to think about what she had said, she resumed her attack. Her swings held more force than ever. 'Maybe talking about that wasn't such a good idea…' More talk like that would get him skewered. Still, he had to try. He blocked the blows with his shakujou as best he could, though it was clear that the well-traveled staff was beginning to show signs of cracking. At one point, when they were practically nose-to-nose above crossed 'swords', he gasped out, "That is your brother on the ground over there! He's very much alive –" when last he had checked – "I didn't do a thing to him!" Puffing, she glanced over to the crumpled form of the boy. Hope died in him when she turned back to face him angrily. "That _scum _is not my brother, houshi!" Ouch. He was glad Kohaku was out cold…hearing that would have hit him hard. "He helped to kill them all, you sick bastard!" 

That set him back a little. She had forgotten who her brother was? His body was on autopilot as he fought, mechanically blocking her moves as he tried to wrap his mind around what she had said. If she had forgotten who Kohaku was, then who exactly did she remember? "What about Kagome-sama and Inuyasha? Are you going to fight them too?" She didn't once let her guard down.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" she snarled. Well, he had his answer. In that moment she appeared to grow tired of the questioning and decided to take things into her own hands. "Listen, houshi, you killed my family, and now you're here to kill my master as well. I couldn't stop you before, but I'm not going to let you harm Lord Naraku!" With that cry, she launched herself at him in a wild attack that drove him backwards with the sheer force of it. It didn't help matters that his heart was breaking from those words. She had just proved, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she had turned over to the enemy. She was fighting on behalf of Naraku as though her life depended on it…she was unreachable. 

Just as he was about to make a move, a voice from the side distracted him. "Miroku!" What now?

* * *

Inuyasha and Kagome stared at the sight that greeted them when they finally reached Naraku's castle. They could just make out the tiny figures that were Sango and Miroku, fighting in a deadly dance that never seemed to cease. Even from this distance it was clear that Sango had the upper hand. Resolutely tearing her eyes away from her friend, she looked at the area around them. They had spotted Miroku, but where were Kohaku and Shippo? Beside her, Inuyasha stiffened. Following his gaze, she settled on the dark blur that was resting on the ground. "Kohaku!" She clapped one hand over her mouth in consternation. It wasn't really a good idea to yell out so close to an enemy – it would give away their position. However, her accidental shout produced a very welcome result. "Kagome!" Before she knew it, she was knocked to the ground by a fast moving kitsune. Shippo was clinging to her desperately, nuzzling her cheek as though he was making sure that she was actually there. 

The nuzzling stopped rather abruptly when Shippo found himself dangling in mid-air, one clawed hand wrapped firmly around his tail. "Ow! Hey, you big mutt, lemme go!" 

"Settle down, you dumb pup, you're going to hurt Kagome!" Inuyasha barked at him. Kagome glared at him half-heartedly – after all, it had hurt a little. He just smirked back at her, daring her to fight him on this. The look of surprise on his face was priceless when she just sighed and laid a hand on his arm. "Inuyasha, put him down please." Taken aback, he did so. She lifted her hand to stroke him gently on the cheek in thanks, then turned away to face Shippo. She missed the blush that threatened to leave him with a permanently red face. Shippo, however, caught a glimpse of the somewhat goofy expression on his face. "Um…what happened with you guys?" He grinned at the sudden attempt that the two of them made to act 'normal'. "Ahh , never mind. What are we going to do? The guys left me here to wait, but I can't tell what's going on!" 

"Sango and Miroku are fighting each other near the castle gates, and something happened to Kohaku – I guess Sango did that as well." Kagome's face was miserable at having to say those words. "Naraku isn't anywhere nearby, so I guess he's still inside." As the girl tried to explain things to the kitsune, Inuyasha's mind raced madly to work out what they were going to do. He finally settled on a plan, of sorts. "Kagome, we have to go." Startled, the girl looked up at him. Part of him wanted to grin at the confused look on her face, but the other part of him was yelling at him to just hurry up already! Shaking himself slightly, he decided to make himself a bit clearer. "Shippo, you've got to stay here." The reaction was immediate.

"No!"

"Listen, brat – "

"No! I can help! I don't wanna stay here anymore! It's boring, and I don't know what's happening." Inuyasha sighed and laid one heavy hand on the cub's head, effectively trapping him in one spot. Of course he was well aware that the kitsune could be useful, but this time there was nothing he could really do. "You are staying here, end of discussion!" Shippo's answer to that was a glare that would have sliced him to ribbons if that were possible. "Like it or not, this is what's going to happen – I'm going to get Kohaku and bring him up here. You will look after him while Kagome and I go and look for Naraku. Got it? I can't carry you around while I'm fighting, and I'll be moving too fast for you to keep up on your own. Understand?" Shippo scowled, thinking about what the hanyou had said. Finally he sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine." Of course, his consent hadn't really been needed. As soon as Inuyasha had finished telling them what he was going to do, he had bounded away in the direction of the fighting. Kagome was the only person left to hear him agree to the idea. 

* * *

Inuyasha slowed down slightly as he came closer to the two combatants, sizing up the possibilities before him. His first job was to grab the boy and get him out of here, but how? As he was puzzling this out, Sango launched an attack on Miroku that pressed the houshi further and further away from the inert Kohaku. 'Perfect.' Wasting no time, he raced onto the battleground and scooped the kid up into his arms. 'Sheesh, he doesn't weigh much…' Shifting his burden into a more comfortable position, he called out to his beleaguered friend. "Miroku!" Both Miroku and Sango snapped their heads around to look at the source of the interruption. Miroku looked annoyed (and more than a little tired), whereas Sango looked…well, livid. "You!" she snarled at him, forgetting all about Miroku in her rage. The hanyou backed up slightly, a little confused. He thought about asking what her problem was, then dismissed those same thoughts. "Ahh, no time for this!" he growled. He moved towards her, then stopped when she fell face down onto the ground. 'Huh?' 

"I guess she wants to kill you, too," Miroku stated tiredly. He leant heavily on his shakujou, his lungs heaving as he caught his breath. "She forgot all about me when you appeared like that. Silly, really…left herself wide open." He shook his head sadly, then lifted his eyes to meet Inuyasha's. "So, what are you going to do? She'll be awake soon – I didn't hit her that hard." There was a vaguely guilty look in his eyes as he said it – they both knew he could have hit much harder than he had. In a rare moment of compassion, Inuyasha decided to let it slide. "Kagome and I are going after Naraku once the kid here is safe. Keep Sango busy until we get back – the last thing we need is both of them fighting us at once!" He was interrupted as Sango began to stir, moaning. One quick grin and he was off in a flash of red and silver. Miroku fought the insane urge to laugh as he turned to face his beautiful opponent once more. 'Keep her busy, he says? Oh sure, no problem…'

* * *

Inuyasha brushed off Kagome's concerned inquiries when he returned to the small group, laying the boy down next to Shippo before turning to face them. "He'll be fine, he just has to wake up first. Come on, Kagome, we have to find Naraku." So saying, he reached out one clawed hand to drag her onto his back. 

"Oof! Okay, okay, we're going. Take care of Kohaku, Shippo!" Kagome's voice dwindled as the couple moved further away. Shippo sighed and looked at the sleeping boy. 'Man, this is boring…' He poked Kohaku's side tentatively – no reaction. The kitsune flopped onto the ground and rested his chin in his hands. "So, having fun? Yeah, me too…"

Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulders tightly as they raced towards the castle looming ahead of them. "Inuyasha, do think those two will be okay on their own?"

"Of course! Shippo's a youaki, they'll be fine."

"He is just a _small_ youkai, Inuyasha, and this is Naraku's castle. Who knows what's hiding around here?" Inuyasha merely sighed and picked up his pace. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up. 

"Look, just concentrate on finding Naraku, like the little miko you are, and let them handle themselves. We have more important things to do than worry about a pair of kids!" He let out a surprised grunt as Kagome's hand cuffed him across the back of the head. Thankfully, in his opinion, she didn't say anything more. He felt her stiffen when they passed Sango and Miroku, still battling it out by the gate. Her desire to call out to them was practically tangible – he was very proud of her when she kept her mouth closed and her eyes facing forwards. Then, before they knew it, they were through the gate.

"Inuyasha, let me down." He just growled at her and refused to let her off. "Inuyasha!"

"What?"

"Let me down!" Kagome's mind was racing. To find Naraku, she had to use her miko abilities – and those abilities were dangerous for youkai. Of course, he wouldn't pay any attention to the danger, would he? No, he would be too proud to admit any kind of weakness. What a typical male…she'd just have to show him, then. Wincing, she let a little of her power leak out from behind the barrier she was using to rein it in. The effect was immediate. "Whoa!" She tumbled to the ground as Inuyasha darted away from her, his eyes wide in shock. 

"What the hell was that?!" She fought the impulse to giggle – he was looking at her almost as though she had grown a second head when he wasn't looking. "_That_ was the power I have to use while I'm in here, Inuyasha. You can't carry me around, it'll hurt you too much! You have to be able to fight, not lie down to recover!" She crossed her arms and frowned at him, daring him to pick her up again. To her relief, he just snorted and looked down at the ground. "Fine. Let's go." Together they moved off to search the darkened rooms of the fortress. Kagome couldn't help but notice that Inuyasha kept quite a respectful distance. Every so often he would drift closer to her, then jump like someone had stuck a pin in him. She would have laughed if the situation weren't so serious.

* * *

Naraku stood by the window, watching the drama below him unfold. The houshi was putting up quite a fight, but he was obviously no match for his staunch defender. Sooner or later the battle would end, and that annoying brat Miroku would be out of his way. And about time, too. He frowned as something tickled the edge of his consciousness. 'A probe?' Momentarily distracted, he ignored the fight going on and tried to pinpoint the intruder. 'Ah, the young miko girl. She and the pup are here. Of course.' The girl felt stronger than he had expected. He waved a hand in the air, dismissing the concern. He was stronger than all of them. Let them come.

He had a plan.

He smiled as he 'felt' his two impromptu guests discover his hiding place. Surprisingly, he didn't turn around to face them. He heard Inuyasha's cry of rage, but made no move to defend himself. The pup couldn't hurt him – his more immediate concern was the miko standing beside him.

Inuyasha couldn't understand it. Why was the creep just standing there? "You coward, Naraku, turn around and fight!" he roared. He was embarrassed beyond words when he suddenly found himself thrust up against the wall. Putting a cautious hand out in front of him, to 'test the waters' so to speak, he was shocked to feel a very solid barrier blocking his way. It was miko energy – Kagome had shut him out! "Why that little…"

Kagome grimaced, determinedly ignoring her ranting partner a few steps away. In his position she would be furious too – but there was something not right here. Naraku was just waiting, it seemed…waiting for what? She pondered this as she brought her full powers to bear. It reminded her almost of a television show she had once seen. The villain of the show had let the good guys get the first shot off, to make them think they had won. In the program the good guys had fallen for it and let their guard down. Needless to say, the villain had wiped the ground with them after that. What if that was what Naraku was planning now? 'Well,' she thought, 'I'll just have to make the first shot a really good one.' Taking a deep breath, she lifted her bow and arrow and took careful aim.

Naraku smirked. 'It's the last shot that you'll ever land on me…' 

Inuyasha was powerless to do anything but watch in horror.

As Kagome's strength peaked beyond what she had ever felt before, she let the arrow fly. A blinding light filled the dank room, blocking all the occupants from view.

* * *

On the ground below, Miroku suddenly found himself wrongfooted in the middle of the battle. Helpless to stop himself, he fell to the floor and landed on his back. As he groggily opened his eyes he was greeted by the sight of his beloved Sango staring down at him. She lifted her sword above his head…Miroku simply closed his eyes and waited for the blow to fall…

* * *

Eek! Yes, I know, _evil_ cliffhanger. I won't make you wait 3 months for the next one, I promise! Next chapter should be the last, I think. Please, please *begging pitifully* review and let me know what you think? 

Next Chapter: Salvation.


	11. 11 Salvation

I told you I wouldn't take so long this time! The computer is still running, my writer's block *shudders* is gone, and my inspiration has returned! Definitely a cause for celebration, I think. For all those of you out there who thought the story was dead, my apologies. Not dead, just comatose for a while. Well, time to get on with it. As always, the first order of the day is – shout outs !

LilyKitsune: My first reviewer for Ch 10! Looks like you've been on reviewing hiatus just a little longer than I was on writing hiatus…. Glad you liked the chappie. You read the whole thing again?! That's dedication, I tell you! Yeah, poor Shippo. Not long for the next bit, I promise.

Zero 27: Yup…eeeevil cliffhanger. Would you believe I actually planned it that way since, oh, a few chapters ago? *hides* The dramatic tension was just too good to resist!

Aamalie: No! Not the methods! I give you my word, it won't be nearly as long until the next bit. (Anything to not get hit by a Digihammer – yikes!) I felt more than a bit guilty leaving you all hanging right at the start of the fight scene *gulp* but when your computer dies, your computer dies…and takes all your files with it, the rotten thing… You read the whole thing again too?! Man, this is unreal.

Queen of Koorime: Never fear, I always finish what I start…even if the actual finish is slightly delayed. Oops. Thanks for the feedback, and no need for tissues this time. (Hint: for those who read my other epic, 'Choice and Consequence', this ending will be nothing like that one. Okay?)

Megumi Sagara1: Sorry the wait was so long…I'm just so impressed that everyone is still here! I thought I would have lost all my old readers by now. I should have known better…tenacious people, you are.

Sango-to-Miroku: I know it took forever, deepest and humblest apologies. I'm pretty sure the next one will be the last one. Sad, I know, but that's the way it goes. But hey, check out the AN at the end! So glad you still like it.

Murasaki Kitsune: Eep! Yes, I know, I was horribly slow updating last time. Hope this makes up for it. Everything may not go according to plan for our rotten villain…but there is a twist. You can't miss it!

Mattielover: Hello my faithful friend….you're still here! Wow. I'm glad I'm back too….I missed you guys. Uh huh, it's a bit confusing now, but this will clear a whole lot of things up. I hope. As for the crazy cliffhangers, you should be used to them by now. Haven't I left you guys hanging at the end of practically every chapter? What can I say, it gets the readers back for more! Evil trick, but necessary (and lots of fun! I've lost count of the emails with people yelling at me for leaving it where I did….hee hee).

EEevee: Pure evil reincarnated? Aack! Well, yes, the double cliffhanger was a bit mean of me – but it was a great way to signal my long awaited return to writing! I love hearing from new reviewers – It means I get a bit more feedback from the whole story. I'm glad you liked the I/K bits, they were nice…so many people are picky about the whole 'beads' thing, so it's good that you thought it fit well. And yeah, poor Miroku…but then this whole mess is about messing with his poor little head (and Sango's, of course).

Doncare: (From Ch.8) Eh heh…*looks around sheepishly*...good question. To be honest, I didn't write her in this time. All I can think of is, the poor thing is tired after all that flying around, and is having a break back at Kaede's hut (hmm, Kaede is also noticeably absent from this one.). So, no cat, no old woman…I think everyone else is accounted for.

Jessica T: Woohoo! I'm back! And this baby is far from dead, believe me…have a look at the AN at the end…surprise! (The surprise is at the end…no cheating, you have to read the chapter first!) Oh, I totally understand that thing about mid-terms and more free time. It's weird, but it works. Hmm.

Vampire-Elf: I'm glad you waited for so long! *cliché moment* Ah, suspense…it's what I live for. A story just doesn't cut it unless I suddenly find myself falling off my chair in anticipation (or at least sitting on the edge of my seat). But then that's just me. Hope you like the chapter.

Neoen: Yes, me and my cliffhangers. I love 'em! Whee!

Momentum: I hope you didn't really scream…or you'd be getting some mighty strange looks from your family, I'd bet. But then, I already get them, so why shouldn't you? Ha ha. My family thinks I've cracked…but they love me anyway. *Awww*

Naanaami: Glad you like my story! I reviewed yours, very nice!

Kaylana: Well, gee, that's a bit harsh *grins*. This should lighten my awful title a little, but I don't know if I'm out of your bad books yet. We'll see…

Samster the Hamster: It _is_ torture, isn't it? I don't know what you did to me, but it must have been bad *lol*. Hope this makes up for it.

Mvdiva: Hey! You've read Choice and Consequence!! Thank you! As for this one, yes, it was an evil cliffhanger, but I have found that the best stories are cliffhanger-ridden. Oh, it'll do some good – but how much? Hmmm….

Disclaimer: Once again, I am forced to point out that I do not own Inuyasha. But then, who reads these disclaimers anyway?

* * *

****

Under Control

Chapter 11: Salvation

As Kagome's mind edged back into the realms of reality, two things caught her attention. 

One, she was down on her hands and knees, shaking with near exhaustion.

Two, Naraku was nowhere to be seen.

She wasn't exactly sure if point two was a good thing or a bad thing. "Did he die, or has he run away again?" she muttered. She resisted moving around very much, choosing instead to nurse her protesting muscles back to health before she attempted to get up. "If only miko energy weren't so incredibly bright," she grumbled. "Now we don't know what happened – man, this is annoying! It makes for a good show and all, but I'd really rather do without, thank you very much!" Abruptly her head decided to remind her that she had done _way_ too much that day…it felt like someone was using her poor little skull as a punching bag. Groaning, she lifted a trembling hand to rub gingerly at her aching temples. "Ooh, I could really use some aspirin right about now." Wincing, she glanced around (trying not to jostle her head too much) to see what had become of Inuyasha. Her eyes widened at the sight of her companion lying in an awkward tangle of limbs, crumpled up against a slightly dented wall. 

'Oh, no, don't tell me…'

She resolutely forced herself to calm down when she spotted his chest lightly rising and falling as he breathed. 'Stupid girl, as if he would be killed by getting slammed into a wall…he survived getting stabbed, sliced, punched through the stomach – why should this be any different?' Well, apparently the shock wave from her purification attack had packed a wallop; he was out for the count. She grinned momentarily at the thought of just how mad he would be when he finally woke up. 

Her train of thought was suddenly interrupted by the sound of clanging metal. Headache forgotten, she scrambled to the window. 'Sango and Miroku! I can't believe I forgot about them! Oh, please, don't let that sound mean anything bad…' The young miko poked her head out of the window, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of her friends. The sight that met her frantically searching eyes was unexpected, to say the least.

* * *

Miroku waited. And waited.

'Huh.'

Nothing.

Well, as promising as that was, there was no way he was going to open his eyes just yet. He had (apparently) just narrowly avoided being sliced and diced by his love – dammit, he deserved a bit of a break! He was so amazingly tired…Despite himself, he cracked one eye open when the sound of metal hitting the ground reached him. What he saw made his overtaxed heart break all over again.

Sango felt like a thick veil had just been removed from her mind. Sight, sound, smell, touch, taste – all of her senses suddenly kicked in with a vengeance. Clarity flooded her thoughts…gods, she had almost forgotten what it was like to think for herself…and the memories forced their way into her awareness. Gasping, she desperately tried to deny the truth of what she saw – Miroku was lying on the ground in front of her, and she had been fighting him! She dimly noticed that she was still holding her sword. 'If I was fighting him, and he is on the floor like that, then I defeated him…oh, no! No, I can't have done that!' Her eyes began to fill with horrified tears, but she refused to let them fall. Instead, she stared down at the unmoving body of the man she loved, willing him to move just a little, to prove that he was still alive. Her glance fell upon the sword that was resting in her grip. She raised it before her, looking at it as though she had never seen it before. Suddenly she cast it roughly away from her, sending it clattering over the rough ground of the walkway. Clenching her eyes shut, she let out an anguished sob and fell to her knees, wrapping her arms tightly around her – doing her best not to let the reality of what she had done drive her mad. It didn't register in her tortured mind that the blade had been free of blood. She certainly didn't see the houshi finally open his eyes.

Miroku was hopelessly torn. He wanted nothing more than to comfort Sango in her obvious distress, but he wasn't entirely sure that it was safe for him to try. She was a heart-wrenching picture – arms tucked in around her, rocking her body to and fro in misery, her head bowed low. Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. If this was a trick, then so be it, but damned if he'd leave her like this! Slowly, he reached one hand up to rest on her arm. At his touch the young woman became completely still. Then her head gradually moved higher so that she could see. Her eyes were wide and shiny with unshed tears – but Miroku could have shouted with glee. 'She' was in those eyes – his precious Sango, and not the mindless drone of a few minutes ago! However, rather than shouting like a madman, he settled for drinking the sight of her in as deeply as he could. It had been so long since he had seen her…

Sango could barely move – was that a hand on her arm? A warm, living hand? Dreading what she would find, she lifted her eyes once more. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of two sparkling indigo eyes looking back at her. 'Miroku…' Hardly daring to believe it, she reached out with one shaking hand to hesitantly brush against his cheek. His flesh was warm to her touch, soft and warm and _ alive_. She found that she couldn't draw her hand back for fear of him somehow disappearing from in front of her. As though proving to herself that he was really there, her fingers continued exploring the contours of his face – cheek, eyes, nose, lips, chin – brushing feather-light over his skin. She watched in something akin to wonder as his eyes slid closed under her gentle ministrations.

Finally, Miroku could stand it no more. Ordinarily he would have been willing to lie in that place all day (especially with those deliciously soft hands tracing around his face, driving him happily insane) but with Naraku around, that wasn't really an option. With a reluctant sigh, he opened his eyes once more. "Sango, would you help me up please?" Seemingly startled at the request, she did so. Once he was on his feet, albeit swaying a little unsteadily, she appeared to retreat from him slightly. Miroku frowned. He tried to catch her eyes again, confused when she wouldn't look straight at him. Her stance was vaguely reminiscent of…shame? Fear? Ah. She was virtually cringing away from him, as though unsure of being welcome. He couldn't really blame her for that, he supposed. 'Naraku or no Naraku, this has got to stop!' He shook his head bemusedly and sighed, opening his arms in a universal gesture. Sango looked up at him, as if gauging his sincerity. He took one more step toward her, arms still open, and in the next instant he found himself smothered in the most satisfying hug he had ever received. The object of his affections was clinging to him, finally allowing her defenses to fall – and he was powerless to do anything but wrap one arm firmly around her waist and tangle the other hand in her long hair, holding her as securely as he could. How could he have ever been such a fool? To think - he had almost lost this.

* * *

Kagome felt like her face would fall off soon, she was grinning so hard. Sango and Miroku were hugging in the courtyard! Well, at least her friend was back to normal once again – although her hugging the lecherous houshi was far from normal… A low mumble from across the room cut into her musings, bringing another smile to her face.

"Damn stupid mikos…throwing energy blasts around like toys…no brains…"

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too, Inuyasha," she retorted jauntily. The aforementioned miko walked over to where the hanyou was attempting to sit up, slinging one arm around him to help. He angrily tried to brush her off until he realized that he was slightly the worse for wear. Eventually he gave up in disgust, letting her lever him up off of the floor and over to the window. As he slumped to the ground once again he growled, "Next time, lay off of the purification bit, huh? I feel like I've been turned inside out or something!" To his annoyance Kagome simply giggled at him and pointed out of the window, meaning that he should look out too. Before he looked, a rather urgent thought struck him. "Hey, wench, where's Naraku got to?" He grunted when she slapped his arm in retaliation for the name.

"I don't know what happened, Inuyasha. The light was too bright for me to see properly."

"Feh. Typical."

"Hey!"

The bickering pair looked down at the tender scene unfolding before them with varying degrees of satisfaction, joy and relief. A tinkling sound dragged Kagome's eyes down to their feet, wondering what could have caused the noise. As her mind finally caught up with what was going on (namely, nothing) the presence of a Shikon shard became obvious – seeing as how she had just kicked one by accident. She let out a little gasp of astonishment, picking it up from where it lay and stowing it in the container where she kept the rest of the shards they had collected. Her attack had purified it, probably causing Naraku to lose his grip on it in the confusion that had ensued. And speaking of Shikon shards…

"Inuyasha?"

"Hn?" He was (oddly enough) preoccupied with the scene in front of him.

"We nearly have all of the shards." That got his attention.

"What?! How many are there to go?"

"I don't know. But – we know where two are, at least." He growled low in his throat.

"I don't want to even think about that wimpy wolf right now, Kagome!"

"But Kouga-kun may have the last ones! How are we going to get them off of him if we can't even catch him?" Inuyasha seemed about to sulk, or throw some kind of temper tantrum, so Kagome quickly changed the subject. "Let's go down and get Sango and Miroku. We have to get back to Kohaku and Shippo." His answer told her that he still was not happy with the thought of finding Kouga later.

"Feh!"

* * *

As pleased as Miroku was with how things were going, there was something he felt he had to do before any more time slipped away from them. Firmly holding Sango away from him at arm's length, he lowered his head to look directly into her eyes. "Sango?"

"Yes, Houshi-sama?" she murmured softly. 

"I am sorry for being such an idiot back at the village. I know it must have looked…well…" He trailed off uncertainly at the look on her face.

"It looked as though you were being a hentai again." Ouch. She was a lot surer of herself now – and back to her former strength of will. 

"Erm, yes. Well, would it help at all if I told you I wasn't? Ah, not really, anyway? Uhm," he floundered. 'Dammit, this is not how it was supposed to go! What happened to all those apologies you practiced on the way here, fool?' Oh well, here goes nothing…

"There is no excuse good enough for my behaviour. I have not treated you as well as I should have, and I am truly sorry for it. I can see why you might lose all faith in me in the end, and to be honest I don't blame you. So, I am going to ask you something, and if you choose to leave, I won't stop you." He took a deep breath, then took both of her hands in his. Closing his eyes, he gambled everything.

"Dearest Sango, would you bear my child?"

He heard a slightly stunned gasp, then felt those angelic hands tense in his grip. 'Please, please, please, please…' Would she see it for what it was? His request to return to the way they were, and hopefully more? Or would she slap him upside of the head for his 'hentai' question?

"Yes." Hang on. Did he really hear that? He looked up at her in shocked disbelief. She was…smiling at him. "Yes, you stupid houshi." He had thought that his ears were playing tricks on him, but apparently they were fine. And so was he. More than fine, in fact. It was time to stop running away.

"I love you, Sango. I would never forgive myself if I didn't tell you that at least once before we left this place." Carefully, he rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. "I really do love you." Sango looked at him for a moment. She had never seen him so tired and worn. There were dark circles underneath his eyes, he could barely stand under his own power anymore – he truly must have pushed himself to get to her. In that moment, she made her decision. "I love you, Houshi-sama." His eyes flew open, only to close again as she kissed him. When she drew back, she was amazed to see tears in his eyes. Of course, he didn't let them fall – as a matter of pride – but it was proof, if she needed it, of just how tough the last few days had been. He was at breaking point. Sighing happily, she moved her body closer to him and enfolded the shocked young man in a warm embrace. She grinned. "I love you, Miroku."

'I'm in heaven,' he decided silently. His name had never sounded so good.

When Inuyasha and Kagome finally reached them, Sango was more than ready to find her little brother again – though she did regret having to leave the circle of Miroku's arms.

* * *

He watched the blissful reunion from what he deemed a safe distance before fading into the darkness of the forest. Such happiness had the propensity to make him ill. Amazing to think just how badly that plan had turned out…but who knew that the untrained miko had such a powerful range? He had been forced to relinquish his hold on the warrior (this irritated him no end), and he had lost the Shikon shard on top of that. 'It just hasn't been my day…'

To add insult to injury, his children were missing. Kagura would still be in the fortress, and no doubt Kanna would not be far from her. In his current state, he could do nothing but wait…

How annoying. Actually, annoying was an understatement. He was furious. And he swore, after that ignominious retreat, that the miko would taste his anger before long. Forget the houshi – the hole in his hand would take care of him anyway – that miko was as good as dead. But for that he needed something. Shards. And he knew where to find them. 'The wolf prince…'

* * *

Kohaku blinked. The world was spinning in a decidedly unpleasant manner, and for some reason he was flat on his back. What in the world had happened? With a start, he remembered.

"Ane-ue!" His joy knew no bounds when she answered him.

"Kohaku!" Suddenly he was lost in a bone-crushing hug, and his sister was sobbing and laughing into his shoulder at the same time. "You're awake! Oh, gods, I've missed you so much! And you're free! Finally free of that monster!" He pulled back to look at her seriously.

"So are you." She swallowed guiltily, then smiled.

"Yes." Miroku simply watched contentedly. This was what he had been waiting for – and it had been such a long time in coming.

Nearby, Kagome and Inuyasha (well, Kagome at least) were attempting to placate a rather put-out kitsune. "You guys get to have all the fun!"

"Shippo, that was hardly _fun_," Kagome reprimanded him gently. Inuyasha just growled. "Look, I'll make it up to you. Umm, I'll get you some candy." Inuyasha looked up, his eyes wide in panic. "Just a little – not too much. Okay?" The hanyou groaned softly. Shippo. And candy. Oh no.

"Yay!" Well, no matter how bad a threat it was to the rest of them, it sure had perked Shippo's spirits up. Frustrated, Inuyasha started yelling at everyone to get a move on. It was time to go back to the well. As the now slightly larger group of travelers set off, Kagome looked back to where Miroku and Sango were walking. "Er, Miroku?"

"Yes, Kagome-sama?"

"I was just curious – do you still have the hole in your hand?" He sighed. He didn't really need to be reminded of this or anything… "Yes, it's still there."

"Oh." Kagome looked downcast. "Then I guess Naraku is still out there somewhere." 

"Indeed!" a new voice piped up. Inuyasha suddenly slapped at his neck, producing a very squished-looking Myouga. "And where have you been hiding, flea?" he demanded irritably. 

"I have not been hiding! I have been seeking information!" Kagome wondered if it was possible for a flea to sound more affronted if it tried. "And yes, Naraku is still around. The purification alone could not have destroyed him, because he is still half-human. Only the demon half would be affected."

"Well," Inuyasha huffed, "if you know so much, where will he go next?"

"Oh, that's easy. To the wolves."

"What?!"

"The young youkai, Kouga, still has his two shards, and Naraku will be after them without a doubt. And, as is evident by the presence of the houshi's, er, affliction, he still has some power. Well," Myouga finished up – really, his master was looking quite angry – "I must be going. The wolf youkai pack is currently in the Eastern lands, quite close to Kaede's village!"

"How do you know these things, Myouga?" shouted the hanyou furiously. The reply wafted back over the breeze as the flea made his escape. "How does anyone know anything? Good luck!"

"Feh!" Inuyasha shook his head disgustedly. "Rotten coward."

"Should we be worried that he left already?" Kagome asked curiously. Inuyasha looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "We are not going to Kouga."

"Oh, you think we should just let Naraku have the shards without a fight?" she taunted him. 

"NO! Alright, I'll go, but you are staying away from him, understand?!" He stomped on ahead in a fit of temper. Kagome looked after him as realization belatedly struck her. 'He's jealous!' Grinning, she skipped up to join him and just kept walking. Her smile grew when she felt his hand take her own. And when she sneaked a look at him, he didn't look nearly so cross as he had been. 'Success!'

Behind them, Sango stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes were fixed on Kagome and Inuyasha's hands. Miroku, who had stopped when she did, simply raised a knowing eyebrow at the pair. "Miroku?"

"Hmm?"

"Did I miss something here?"

Miroku blinked at her. Then he tipped his head back and roared with laughter.

* * *

OWARI

* * *

Phew! Well, we made it. Congratulations for those who have been reading the whole time. What a great bunch of people! Well, here's the treat I promised you all…

I left a few loose ends there…on purpose! This thing is just dying for a sequel, so that's what I'll do! Just gimme a week or so to work out the plot, and the first chapter will be up. Er, make that two or three weeks…these things take time! A little teaser – there will be some very nice _interaction_ with Kouga and our main characters in the next arc of this monster I laughingly call a story. Well, until next time! Thanks for reading! (And reviewing! So many reviews! *glomps you all*)


End file.
